Future China Advanced Leaders Programme (2nd Segment): “Long March” to Beijing, Xi’an and Yan’an
Embarking on a life long journey to understand and connect with China, becoming more China-savvy and China-ready in the process.
The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.
Lao Tzu
With the successful conclusion of the first segment of Future China Advanced Leaders Programme (FC-ALP) in March this year, the FC-ALP delegation led by Mr Lee Yi Shyan, Business China Board Director and Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Trade and Industry and Ministry of National Development, embarked on an extraordinary learning journey to China from 21 to 27 April for the second leg of the course.
The trip started off in Beijing with a close-door sharing session over breakfast by Singapore’s Ambassador to China, Amb. Stanley Loh. Amb. Loh shared his personal observations and insights on topics such as Singapore-China relations, China’s enhanced economic status and the accompanying expectations of her playing a more active role in international affairs; as well as the intricacies of China’s border disputes with a few neighbouring countries.
Following his sharing session, Amb. Loh, together with SMS Lee Yi Shyan witnessed the handing of donations by this current FC-ALP cohort to a charitable organisation specialising in caring for visually impaired orphans – Bethel International. This act of charity was solely initiated and organised by the course participants in part to help the less privileged in China, as well as to be a contributing factor to Singapore-China relations. The cohort of 20 top level executives collected an impressive sum of RMB100,000 within a short 4 weeks. Prior to the cheque handing-over ceremony on 22 April, class representatives Mr Loh Long Hsiang and Ms Shaw Lay See paid a visit to Bethel’s residential facility in Fang Shan situated in the outskirts of Beijing on 21 April, to understand more about Bethel’s operations and areas of need. They were impressed with the professionally ran facility, and were heartened to learn that the children’s dormitories had been personally built by Bethel’s founders, staff and volunteers under guidance from professional builders. The donation was received by Ms Dong Ning, Bethel’s Country Director (China) and Mr Zach Johnson, its Business Development Director.
Straight after the brief but warm ceremony, the programme went back on course with lectures by renown scholars covering the topics of international relations, internationalisation of Chinese companies and implications for Singapore businesses, the role of China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and understanding of the Chinese government’s mindset for business. Besides the classroom sessions, trainees were treated to an interaction session with Mr Zhang Yong, Chairman of Hai Di Lao Hot Pot Group, right on site at one of his restaurants. Besides soaking in fresh management advise from Mr Zhang, participants got to sample the famed customer service and delicious food first-hand.
As culture is an integral part of the learning experience, one of the interaction session with China’s local business leaders was held in conjunction with the staging of a traditional opera “The Peony Pavilion”. This abridged version of the Ming dynasty play was staged at the old Imperial Granary, a location steep with history and exuding old world charm and grandeur. Although understanding the traditional opera had been a challenge for some, the English subtitles helped in conveying some of tactful expressions and the pursuit of implicitness in the Chinese culture. This communication style had been entrenched in the Chinese cultural sinews and influenced even modern-day Chinese business negotiation styles.
On the eve of travelling to Yan’an, participants were given a brief introduction to the history of the Communist Party of China (CPC) over a tea-appreciation session, in order that they be ready to be transported in space and time to Yan’an, to understand the birth of the CPC.
The route to Yan’an had been a much more comfortable endeavour nowadays, but participants could appreciate it must have been forbidding at the turn of the 20th century, given the sheer distance over parched yellow hills that needed to be covered. Through visits to the Wangjiaping Revolutionary Memorial Hall and Zaoyuan revolutionary sites, participants began to understand the social and historical backdrop against which the Communist Party of China rose to prominence.
After a night at the red centre, the delegation, led by SMS Lee Yi Shyan flew to Xi’an, the provincial capital of Shaanxi, and called upon the Vice Governor of Shaanxi Province, Ms Wang Li-xia. SMS Lee commented later in a media interview that compared to 2003 when he first visited Xi’an, the city had vastly transformed itself. He was also impressed with the city’s resolute to develop its cultural enterprise, media and digital art industry; and he urged Singapore companies to seize the abundance of opportunities in China’s second and third tier cities to participate in their growth.
After a hectic, demanding but intensely fulfilling week, the second segment of the FC-ALP drew to a temporary adjournment in preparation of the third and final leg of the course to be held in Singapore, in about a month. Through this immersive and experiential learning trip, participants are now able to more accurately grasp the pulse of the China society and be better informed to make the right decisions.
The FC-ALP is jointly organised by Business China and Nanyang Business School for high caliber individuals who have been identified as future leaders or upper echelon managers of their organisations. First launched in 2012, the FC-ALP is the only general management course in Asia to comprehensively address the complex dynamics between social, political, economic and cultural factors that are fuelling China’s rapid rise. Designed to provide an immersive and holistic learning experience, the Programme will give participants a comprehensive and first-hand understanding of doing business in China.