By Wee Li-En

Membership will be by invitation, and only 300 people will be recruited initially

[Singapore] Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew has lent his weight to a new initiative of the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SCCCI) to promote Chinese language and culture.

MM Lee is the patron of Business China which was set up last month in response to his suggestion to provide a platform to encourage Singaporeans to take an active interest in learning and appreciating the Chinese language and culture.

The new non-profit organisation aims to do this by establishing a business network for Singaporeans who are currently doing business in China or are intending to venture into China to learn and master Chinese as a main communication tool.

The SCCCI said that membership of Business China will be by invitation only, and that only 300 members will be recruited initially.

Its long term target is to groom 20,000 to 30,000 bilingual and bicultural Singaporeans who can communicate effectively in China.

SCCCI said that Business China needs to recruit successful, capable, experienced and talented individuals as its core members to build up a firm foundation and create an effective business network.

The board of advisors for Business China comprises Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng, Minister and Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress Lim Swee Say, and Minister for Health Khaw Boon Wan.

Courtesy of The Business Times, October 10, 2007

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