Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry

The Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (abbrev: SCCCI; Chinese: 新加坡中华总商会; pinyin: Xīnjīapō Zhōnghuá Zǒngshānghuì) is a business chamber in Singapore.

Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry
新加坡中华总商会
Formation1906 (1906)
Founded atSingapore
TypeChamber of commerce
PurposePromote commercial interest of Chinese community, Chinese culture and values
HeadquartersSCCCI Building
Location
Coordinates1.29322°N 103.85027°E / 1.29322; 103.85027
Membership (2016)
4,000 corporate members, 150 trade associations
President
Roland Ng San Tiong
Websitewww.sccci.org.sg/en
Formerly called
General Chinese Trade Affairs Association
Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce
Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Building on Hill Street

The organization has a membership of more than 4,000 companies and over 150 trade associations in Singapore as of 2016.[1]

History

The Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI) was first established in 1906 as the General Chinese Trade Affairs Association by prominent members of the Chinese community. Its original purpose was to look after the trading interests of the Chinese business community, however, to reflect the fact that it had expanded its scope from commerce into industry, the name was changed to its current name in 1977.[2] In addition to protecting and promoting the commercial interest of the Chinese community, the organization also played a role in the social, cultural and educational spheres with the intention to safeguard Chinese customs and values. It has raised funds to build schools, and provided assistance to the community in times of crisis.[3]

Timeline

The main historical notable events of the organization are as follows:[4]

  • 1906: The SCCCI is established to champion the Chinese community and to resolve and mitigate differences among the different clans. The first president was Goh Siew Tin.[2]
  • 1951: The SCCCI lobbies the British colonial government to grant citizenship to Chinese immigrants who had stayed in Singapore for eight years, and finally succeeds in 1957.
  • 1953: The SCCCI supports – and donates generously towards – the setting up of the Nanyang University.
  • 1962: The SCCCI spearheads the task of collecting the remains of victims of the Japanese Occupation and the eventual building of the Beach Road Civilian War Memorial in 1967.
  • 1964: The SCCCI building is officially opened by Lee Kuan Yew.[5]
  • 1966: The Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce Foundation is set up to provide financial assistance to the needy and scholarships to deserving students, and to support cultural activities and public educational political campaigns.
  • 1991: The SCCCI hosts the inaugural World Chinese Entrepreneurs Convention in Singapore which is attended by more than 800 delegates from 75 cities and states in 30 countries and regions.
  • 1993: The chamber's clan-based election system of self-imposed divisions among clan lines is abolished, hence working together as a more united community.
  • 1995: The SCCCI becomes the first chamber of commerce in the region to obtain the ISO9002 certification.
  • 1995: The World Chinese Business Network, an online networking website, is set up to facilitate business information exchange and networking among Chinese businessmen and entrepreneurs worldwide.
  • 1997: The SCCCI's first Annual Internet Commerce Conference is organized. The event is now known as the Infocomm Commerce Conference.
  • 2001: The Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall is reopened to members of the public and foreign visitors as a new tourist attraction and national education centre after four years of renovation and restoration.
  • 2006: The SCCCI officially launches the Enterprise Development Center@SCCCI (EDC@SCCCI) and Chiye Tong, the Chinese version of the EnterpriseOne portal, a one-stop online information service for small- and medium-sized enterprises.
  • 2006: The SCCCI unveiled the Dendrobium Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry as its floral symbol.
  • 2006: The SCCCI 100th Anniversary Commemorative Stamp Issue is launched. It is the first ever set of postage stamps issued by Singapore Post on behalf of a local business organisation.
  • 2006: The Chamber's centennial celebrations take place, with the Asian Chinese Entrepreneurs Summit and a gala dinner as highlights.

SCCCI Building

The SCCCI Building is located on Hill Street, facing the Armenian Church. The headquarters of the organisation has been sited here since the early twentieth century.[3]

Before 1964, the headquarters was a two-story building. The construction of the current building started in 1962 and the completed building was officially opened on 20 September 1964. The architecture is a blend of Chinese and Western styles.[5]

See also

References
  1. Chia Yan Min (24 September 2016). "Chinese chamber 'has evolved with Singapore': PM Lee".
  2. "Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce is founded". History SG. National Library Board Singapore.
  3. Singapore's 100 Historic Places. National Heritage Board. Archipelago Press. 2002. p. 11. ISBN 981-4068-23-3.
  4. Lynn Seah, "SCCCI's Centennial Celebrations", The Sunday Times, 22 October 2006
  5. Naidu Ratnala Thulaja. "Hill Street". Singapore Infopedia. National Library Board Singapore.
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