Collaborations aimed to broaden its range of activities
THE new year in the Chinese calendar is bringing the prospect of even closer business contacts between Singaporeans and Chinese.
Working to this end is Business China, whose mission is to nurture an inclusive bilingual and bi-cultural group of Singaporeans well-positioned to develop deeper links with China.
“Business China is exploring new horizons and working with more organisations to organise more activities,” said its chairman Chua Thian Poh.
Yesterday, Business China signed memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with five of its working partners to broaden its range of activities. The five are Nanyang Technological University (NTU), National Youth Council, the Singapore Chamber of Commerce and Industry in China (SingCham), the Singapore Chinese Chamber Institute of Business and omy.sg, which is a bilingual news and interactive Web portal of Singapore Press Holdings (SPH).
The collaboration is expected to bring about a wider selection of programmes and activities for Singaporeans to further their appreciation and understanding of China, the Chinese language and culture.
“Business China and SingCham will exchange information in various fields and jointly organise bilateral economic events,” said SingCham chairman Dorothy Seet said.
The MOUs were signed at Business China’s 2nd Spring Reception yesterday, jointly supported by SingCham.
The event was attended by about 200 Business China members, SingCham members and local entrepreneurs, academics and professionals – many of whom are back from China to celebrate the New Year with family and friends.
Witnessing the signing of the MOUs was Health Minister and Business China Adviser Khaw Boon Wan. He spoke of the potential for cooperation between Singaporean expertise and the provincial authorities on numerous infrastructure projects.
“My wish is that we can learn from the current economic crisis and hopefully the economy may recover in time,” he said. “People should learn that excesses like overspending have to be avoided. Profit-making for businesses should be based on strong ethics and integrity.
“I encourage more Singaporeans to discover the cultural beauty and richness of the Chinese language. While English translations may be of use, they are sometimes inadequate in capturing the original essence of the language. Business China has provided a plethora of learning opportunities tailored for this pursuit.”
Among the collaborations entered into yesterday was the Business China-NTU Internship Programme, which provides internship opportunities to NTU undergraduates from the university’s Global Immersion Programme to help them gain working experience in China.
During their six-month stay, students will study Chinese culture, contemporary history, politics and economics at top universities. They will also gain work experience at MNCs and leading Chinese enterprises in major industrial parks to better understand the Chinese economy and market conditions.
An MOU signed by Business China and the National Youth Council will likewise promote and strengthen cooperation between the former and the Young Business Leaders, an initiative to engage young working adults.
The collaboration will also better equip Singapore businessmen with the tools to tap on opportunities in the Chinese market.
Courtesy of The Business Times, January 29, 2009