Plans under way for global Chinese network to promote Silk Road initiative

SINGAPORE — One network for Chinese associations all over the world, from as far as Brazil and the United States to Russia, is taking shape. And it was conceived of in Singapore.

The Singapore Hua Yuan Association has managed to draw organisations from about 80 countries or regions, including cities in China, to be part of this collaborative platform. Most of them were in Singapore yesterday to sign the agreement for the Global Hua Yuan Collaborative Network.

Singapore Hua Yuan Association president Wang Quancheng said the network will “promote the Chinese government’s ‘One Belt, One Road’ initiative”, referring to Beijing’s Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road development strategy. The Chinese government’s aim is to promote economic cooperation among countries along those land and sea routes.

“This initiative ... will also encourage the sharing of resources across boundaries and boost interpersonal exchanges, as well as build an effective platform for communication and the sharing of information,” said Mr Wang.

The initiative comes not long after an exchange of words between Singapore and Chinese state-owned newspaper Global Times over the South China Sea issue raised some hackles.

Global Times had published a series of reports critical of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s official visit to Japan, which sparked criticism of Singapore among Chinese netizens. For example, they accused the Republic of siding with the US and Japan in the South China Sea issue.

Singapore Hua Yuan Association committee member Yin Hang said yesterday: “We set up this network to get all the Chinese associations in different countries together to do cultural exchanges, academic exchanges or business exchanges. The purpose is not just trade, but also to promote tourism or the Chinese culture, for instance.”

The next stage is to plan more activities along those lines as part of this global collaboration, said Mr Yin. Other examples could include educational exchange programmes in the US or any other country.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Chan Chun Sing, who was the guest of honour at the launch, said the role of Chinese associations has evolved.

“In the past, their role was to do with connecting back to China. Over time, the Chinese society here is not just to connect back to China like a bridge, but like a crane ... to create many bridges from Singapore, as a platform to connect with different parts of the world to build up those ties,” he said.

“That will not only benefit us economically, but that will also benefit us socially, culturally.” Tan Weizhen