HONOURING EFFORTS IN THE PROMOTION OF SINGAPORE-CHINA RELATIONS
– Six significant years in the recognition of outstanding individuals and enterprises
SINGAPORE, 25 November 2015 – An esteemed Chinese civil servant, a prominent Singaporean singer-songwriter, and a leading multi-national and multi-business conglomerate were honoured in this year’s Business China Awards.
Following its inaugural launch in 2010, the Business China Awards is now in its sixth year and aims to honour outstanding businessmen, entrepreneurs, professionals and organisations for their successes and contributions to Singapore-China relations. By recognising these exemplary role models, the Awards also aims to promote bilingualism and biculturalism in Singapore. The Business China Awards 2015 (BCA 2015) is organised by Business China and jointly presented by OCBC Bank.
The BCA 2015 Gala Dinner took place at Resorts World Sentosa on 25 November with Guest-of-Honour Mr Teo Chee Hean, Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security presenting the Awards.
The recipients of the Business China Awards 2015 are:
Business China Excellence Award:
Mr Li Rongrong
Vice Chairman, China Center for International Economic Exchanges (CCIEE)
Founding Chairman, State-Owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (SASAC) (2003 – 2010)
Well-recognised for his contributions towards Singapore-China relations during his tenure as Chairman of China’s SASAC, Mr Li Rongrong was a strong supporter and initiator of interaction and collaboration between SASAC and the Singapore business community. Mr Li and his team made frequent visits to Singapore. As a result, SASAC adapted and promoted Singapore’s best practices in corporate governance, and integrated these practices with China’s realities. The extensive knowledge transfer and frequent exchanges between Singapore business leaders and their counterparts in China enhanced mutual understanding and trust, and culminated in a sustainable long term partnership between Singapore and China.
Business China Enterprise Award:
Keppel Corporation
One of Singapore’s leading multi-national and multi-business conglomerates, Keppel entered the Chinese market in the early 1980s and has built up strong relationships and an excellent track record in China. Across 25 cities in China, it has shared its expertise, experience and technologies, and contributed to advancing sustainable urbanisation and strengthening ties between Singapore and China. Keppel is the leader of the Singapore consortiums for two landmark bilateral projects – the China-Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park and the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City. Beyond business excellence, Keppel is committed to engaging and nurturing the local Chinese community in the cities where it operates through promotion of education, care for the underprivileged, protection of the environment and other philanthropic efforts.
Business China Young Achiever Award:
Tanya Chua
Singer Songwriter
The only Singaporean singer to be awarded the Best Mandarin Female Singer thrice in the prestigious Golden Melody Awards, Tanya Chua has established a solid reputation as a multi-talented singer songwriter in the Chinese pop music arena. Effectively bilingual, she is the sole Singaporean on the judging panel of China’s hit reality singing competition “Sing My Song” for two consecutive years in 2014 and 2015. In 2014, Tanya spearheaded Project WAO (Women as One), teaming up with three other female singers from Taiwan, Hong Kong and China to perform in unison with proceeds benefitting vulnerable women and girls in the Greater China area.
The BCA 2015 Panel of Judges led by Mr Lim Chee Onn and comprising distinguished business leaders, respected academia and key media executives, went through a rigorous process to select the final recipients.
Commenting on the judging process, Mr Lim shared that, “This year, we received many deserving nominations from both Singapore and the Greater China area, with the final recipients only selected after rounds of deliberation. Besides being exceptionally outstanding in their respective field, the Awards recipients were selected for their significant contributions in enriching the Singapore-China relations, as well as for their commitment in serving communities in both Singapore and China. It is our hope that these exemplary role models will serve as a source of inspiration for all Singaporeans to recognize the competitive advantage of being bicultural and bilingual in the context of an emerging Chinese economy.” Mr Lim is the Senior International Advisor of Ascendas-Singbridge International and Board Director of Business China.
In his address, Guest-of-honour Deputy Prime Minister Mr Teo Chee Hean noted that Singapore-China relations have always been forward-looking, innovative and pace-setting. He highlighted that “Our bilateral relations are undergirded by strong economic cooperation. China is Singapore’s largest trading partner. Over the past 25 years, bilateral trade volume has grown more than 20 times. China is also an important investment destination for our companies. Singapore has been China’s largest source of foreign investments since 2013. ” He was also confident that as both countries deepen cooperation in areas such as trade and investment, finance and social governance, it will bring our bilateral relations to an even higher level.
DPM Teo highlighted the roles of Business China in further enhancing Singapore-China relations. “From the economic perspective, Singapore businesses are familiar with China and can serve as a bridge between China and the region. Business China can also help Singaporeans and Singapore businesses gain useful insights and networks in China.”
In his welcome speech, Mr Chua Thian Poh, Chairman of Business China, said that, “Since the inaugural Business China Awards, the award recipients have proven that they are more than just leaders in their respective fields; they are also playing active roles in strengthening Singapore-China relations. Apart from establishing and expanding their businesses and careers in China, these exemplary role models are also maintaining effective bilateral cooperation on many levels, thereby fostering deeper understanding and communication between both countries.”
Mr Chua also remarked on the appointment of Ms Sun Xueling as the new CEO of Business China, “I am confident that under the leadership of our newly appointed CEO, Ms Sun Xueling, Business China will continue to strive and fulfill our founding mission of promoting bilingualism and biculturalism, and to ride on the wave of opportunities of a growing China economy.”
OCBC Bank returns as the Joint Presenter of the Business China Award for the sixth consecutive year. Mr George Lee, Head of Global Corporate Banking, OCBC Bank, said, “The Award winners have contributed to the depth and strength of Singapore-China ties, and this is all the more significant as we celebrate the 25th anniversary of both countries’ bilateral relations this year. We hope these winners will inspire many other individuals and businesses to continue to build on the existing bilateral cultural and economic relations.”
The celebration provided an exclusive opportunity for more than 500 members, partners and stakeholders of Business China, including distinguished business leaders, senior executives and eminent community leaders from Singapore and China, to interact and establish invaluable networks.
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For further enquiries, you may contact:
Goh Wan Xin (Ms)
Associate (Corporate Communications)
Business China
Tel: 6213 0410
Email: wanxin@businesschina.org.sg
About Business China Awards
Established in 2010, the annual Business China Awards recognises and honours outstanding businessmen, entrepreneurs, professionals, organisations and enterprises for their successful contributions in strengthening Singapore-China relations. In honouring these exemplary role models, the Awards also aim to promote bilingualism and biculturalism in Singapore.
For more information, please visit: bcawards.businesschina.org.sg/en.
About Business China
Launched in November 2007 by Founding Patron and Singapore’s Founding Prime Minister Mr Lee Kuan Yew, Business China’s mission is to nurture an inclusive bilingual and bicultural group of Singaporeans through extensive use of the Chinese language as the medium of communication, so as to sustain our multi-cultural heritage, and to develop a cultural and economic bridge linking the world and China.
For more information, please visit: www.businesschina.org.sg/en.
About OCBC Bank
OCBC Bank is the longest established Singapore bank, formed in 1932 from the merger of three local banks, the oldest of which was founded in 1912. It is now the second largest financial services group in Southeast Asia by assets and one of the world’s most highly-rated banks, with an Aa1 rating from Moody’s. Recognised for its financial strength and stability, OCBC Bank has been ranked Asean’s strongest bank and among the world’s five strongest banks by Bloomberg Markets for five consecutive years since the ranking’s inception in 2011.
OCBC Bank and its subsidiaries offer a broad array of commercial banking, specialist financial and wealth management services, ranging from consumer, corporate, investment, private and transaction banking to treasury, insurance, asset management and stockbroking services.
OCBC Bank’s key markets are Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Greater China. It has over 620 branches and representative offices in 18 countries and regions. These include the more than 330 branches and offices in Indonesia under subsidiary Bank OCBC NISP, and more than 90 branches and offices in Hong Kong, China and Macau under OCBC Wing Hang.
OCBC Bank’s private banking services are provided by its wholly-owned subsidiary Bank of Singapore, which has received increasing industry recognition as Asia’s Global Private Bank, and was voted “Outstanding Private Bank in Southeast Asia in 2014” by Private Banker International.
OCBC Bank’s insurance subsidiary, Great Eastern Holdings, is the oldest and most established life insurance group in Singapore and Malaysia. Its asset management subsidiary, Lion Global Investors, is one of the largest private sector asset management companies in Southeast Asia.
For more information, please visit: www.ocbc.com.