| Networking is the buzzword for today's | | | | business network is shaped by the Chinese |
| successful businesses. Yet, the questions | | | | diaspora patterns, with the Chinese forming a |
| that recur are, how do you build a good | | | | diverse group divided by geographical |
| business network and who are the people to | | | | background, social class and different |
| network with? Certainly, finding the right | | | | sub-communities. In Southeast Asia, the |
| opportunity to network does not come easy. | | | | networking is sometimes loosely organised, |
| | | | consisting of loosely connected individuals |
| The 7th World Chinese Entrepreneurs | | | | and companies, forged together by mutual |
| Convention (WCEC) held recently at the Sunway | | | | obligations and trust. |
| Pyramid Convention Centre in Bandar Sunway, | | | | |
| Selangor, did just that - it provided the | | | | Nevertheless, in recent years, networking |
| more than 3,500 participants the chance to | | | | such as guild wars gold,lotro gold,runescape |
| mingle and network. The convention is | | | | gold among Chinese businessmen has moved |
| believed to be the largest gathering of | | | | beyond clans or dialect distinction. The |
| ethnic Chinese businessmen, coming from more | | | | ability to communicate in a common language |
| than 20 countries in Southeast Asia, North | | | | such as English or Mandarin provides the link |
| America, Australasia and Europe. | | | | for major Chinese networks, especially in |
| | | | Southeast Asia. |
| Apart from the opening fanfare, city tours | | | | |
| and gala dinners, the convention provided a | | | | Vice Secretary of the Indonesian Chinese |
| forum for the meeting of minds and sharing of | | | | Chamber of Commerce and Indonesia Confucian |
| experience and expertise among business | | | | Society, Richard LC Tan, says the |
| leaders in all spheres. | | | | similarities in language, cultural and |
| | | | geography allow for better networking.Tan |
| `There is a lot of potential for Malaysian | | | | also sees the potential for networking to |
| and Chinese corporate and business leaders to | | | | cross ethnic Chinese lines. Malaysians and |
| work together,' says Hu Zhengyu, China's | | | | Indonesians share a similar heritage and it |
| ambassador to Malaysia, adding that the event | | | | would be easy for the nationals of both |
| is an indication of the good relations | | | | countries to invest and trade with each |
| between Malaysia and China. `We are looking | | | | other. He says the ethnic Chinese have a role |
| forward to more business deals to be signed | | | | to play in Chinese- pribumi business |
| by the year's end.' | | | | networkings. `It is important for the Chinese |
| | | | businessmen to contribute back to society,' |
| Indeed, the overseas Chinese networks | | | | he says. |
| constitute the single most dominant private | | | | |
| business grouping in Asia outside Japan. | | | | Interestingly, Tan does not see the 7th WCEC |
| Indonesian delegate and Indonesia Chinese | | | | as a business conference. It is a reunion to |
| Chamber of Commerce representative, Ted | | | | develop the business potential, not a |
| Sioeng, says the WCEC provides the best | | | | business signing conference. Chinese-Filipino |
| environment for networking. | | | | Business Club president Aw Peng Lam shares |
| | | | the view. 'Doing business is not unlike |
| We are seeing a long process of business | | | | making friends. All you need is the right |
| cooperation between Indonesia,Malaysia and | | | | environment, and doing business would come |
| China,' he says, adding that the stable | | | | almost naturally.'For Aw, the idea of |
| political climate of the two countries is | | | | networking among Chinese businessmen would |
| conducive to business cooperation and cross- | | | | also have to come naturally. |
| boundary networking. | | | | |
| | | | Thai delegate Prasorng Owlarn, president of |
| However, networking remains a very intangible | | | | the Owlarn Group and the Thai-Hainanese |
| element and is rather hard to ascertain. `You | | | | Association, says one cannot wrap up business |
| cannot immediately see the real outcome of | | | | deals in a few days, as they have to take a |
| the 7th WCEC, says Wang Wuyi, a social | | | | natural course of scrutiny and evaluation. |
| economist at the Macao Polytechnic Institute. | | | | Yet, Prasorng is confident that the unity |
| Still, he adds, the mere action of exchanging | | | | among the overseas Chinese provides a |
| business cards itself would open many doors | | | | positive contribution to a globalised economy |
| to future business cooperation. | | | | where business operations extend beyond |
| | | | political borders. |
| How does the networking take place? Working | | | | |
| along the lines of the British Old Boys | | | | Held once every two years, the WCEC's avowed |
| Network, networking among the overseas | | | | objective is to provide a platform for |
| Chinese is mainly along clan, dialect and | | | | strengthening international cooperation and |
| trade lines. Interestingly, a Chinese of | | | | networking of ethnic Chinese entrepreneurs |
| Hokkien descent in Indonesia would find it | | | | from different nations and regions so as to |
| easy to network and do business with a fellow | | | | foster global linkages in trade and |
| Hokkien in Malaysia or the Philippines. | | | | investment for the economic growth and |
| | | | prosperity of all nationalities. |
| Quintessentially, the overseas Chinese | | | | |