New Year Message from SingCham Shanghai _ Lucas Loh
A very happy new year to all members of Singapore Chamber of Commerce shanghai chapter (“SingCham Shanghai”). May the year 2023 bring you and your families more success, good health, higher achievements and overall a wonderful & beautiful year ahead. Best wishes, from the Executive Committee (“Exco”), on New Year to you all!
I am honoured and privileged to be elected as the new chairman for Singcham Shanghai. I would like to thank all for your endorsements and confidence in me. Together with the Exco and the management, we remain committed and strived our best to serve and deliver during our term.
The year 2022 has been an eventful year for Shanghai. The locked-down in the earlier part of 2022 has brought about great disruptions to lives in Shanghai. SingCham Shanghai together with the Singapore authorities has tried our best to assist the Singapore communities as a whole. Looking back, perhaps more can be done and lessons learned but the suddenness and wide scale of the events have shut out many of the resources.
Despite the impact of Covid and the restriction measures imposed, SingCham Shanghai managed to organize various business forums, networking sessions and also community activities in 2022. All these have been well received by the Singapore communities and businesses.
We have seen many of our member volunteers, past and present Exco members and also the management team in putting in their hard work, time and supports in organizing these activities throughout the year. Despite the challenges and disruptions in 2022, they remain committed and take time away from their families and businesses. A big thank you to them and heartfelt appreciation for their efforts. Special thanks also to the chamber office for their dedication in ensuring that we run seamlessly.
Looking at 2022, the overall membership has increased, and the membership increased by 18% in the last quarter through a new push by the new Exco when they took over. With the new Exco in place, a number of business and social events have also been successfully implemented:
- Weekly Badminton
- Overseas Adventure Clubs (Monthly Cycling and Running)
- CityWalker (Wukang Road) on 2nd October 2022
- Architects’ Networking Night on 25th October 2022
- New era for China and ASEAN relations: RCEP on 22nd November 2022
- HengSeng Badminton Tournament on 26th November 2022
- SME Showcase Session on 13th December 2022
- Inter-chamber Year-End Networking Mixer on 27th December 2022
As we moved towards the end of 2022, we saw the changes in the Covid control measures and also potentially the opening of the borders in 8 Jan 2023. Of course, we saw disruptions again in Dec 2022, with the number of Covid cases swelling in major cities, including Shanghai. However, we believe that a higher degree of normalcy will return as we move into 2023.
In 2023, SingCham Shanghai has lined up various business forums, networking sessions and also community activities throughout the years. As the new Exco has stated in the election campaign, we would like to do more to focus on the Singapore communities in shanghai and also small and medium enterprises in promoting their inroad and businesses in China. These will be the focus for a number of the activities organized in 2023.
So do look out for our announcements on the various activities. We look forwards to your participation, your support and your assistance as well, if you want to be part of the organizing teams. In the new Exco, we are organized with specific members focusing on the different business sectors and also community events. This will bring about better focus, dedication and commitment to more events. We would also welcome volunteers to come forwards to assist in organizing such events in your areas of interest or in your business sectors. Do get in touch with us if you are keen.
We hope that going forwards, SingCham Shanghai can be part of the Singapore businesses and communities and likewise hope that the Singapore businesses and communities in shanghai can be part of SingCham Shanghai.
Together, we look forwards to a better 2023. Once again, best wishes to all our members.
Lucas Loh
Chairperson
On behalf of whole SingCham Executive Committees