HE WAS more comfortable using English, and had learnt Chinese as a second-language at school.
So when Mr Lim Ming Yan arrived in China to work in 2000, he stumbled over his rusty Mandarin.
But finding himself immersed in Mandarin everywhere he went, the chief executive of property giant CapitaLand's China operations saw his command of the language shaping up remarkably fast.
'Initially, there were some inconveniences, but these could be overcome with the correct attitude,' said the 45-year-old yesterday.
His ability to pick up Mandarin swiftly and operate successfully in China, thanks to 12 years of doing Chinese at second-language level (CL2) in school, was highlighted last night by Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew.
MM Lee cited Mr Lim as an example of how Singaporeans can enjoy a head start in China.
They are 'equipped by the country's bilingual education policy with a good foundation in their mother-tongues'.
The Minister Mentor was speaking at the first anniversary dinner of networking group Business China, a 900-member club started by the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry to enable people who are interested in China to network and discuss issues in Mandarin.
MM Lee, Business China's patron, urged Singaporeans to refresh their Mandarin skills and to take hold of the many business opportunities in China.
These opportunities have come to the fore following the recent signing of the Singapore- China free trade agreement, as well as Beijing's new 4 trillion yuan (S$893 billion) package to boost domestic consumption and economic growth, he noted.
'We should not miss these opportunities to expand our businesses in China,' he told the audience of more than 100 businessmen and political leaders at the dinner held at Parliament House.
Although China's economy is growing at a slower pace now, it can resume its rapid growth of 10 to 12 per cent when the world economy recovers, MM Lee said.
'Singapore's high standing in China with both the government officials and businessmen will help you get started. But you must not let down Singapore's reputation for reliability and integrity.'
MM Lee also warned that if Singaporeans do not use Mandarin regularly, 'they will lose fluency, but the foundation in their early school years can revive it quickly and widen their vocabulary'.
In other words, like Mr Lim, they can brush up their Mandarin by immersing themselves in the language.
MM Lee said he has met 'many Singaporeans with Chinese as a second language in non- SAP schools who have improved their Mandarin after six to 12 months of immersion in China'.
He also singled out a group from Raffles Institution with CL2 who had ventured into a consultancy business for Chinese companies.
Building on their basic knowledge of Mandarin, they were able to pick up additional words and build up their vocabulary after some time in Shanghai.
The Business China group can help those who want to explore business in China by improving their Mandarin as well as their knowledge of social and cultural conditions in present-day China, he noted.
The body offers training talks by government and business leaders, networking sessions and an e- learning portal with interactive learning resources and reference materials.
Mr Chua Thian Poh, who is Business China's chairman and also the chief executive of Ho Bee Group, outlined the organisation's plans. It aims, over the next three to five years, to 'create a platform for closer links between Singapore and China'.
Business China will 'roll out more activities to deepen understanding of China', including encouraging the lifelong learning of Mandarin.
The body will also forge more alliances with strategic partners, he said in Mandarin.
To fund these activities, Business China has already raised $11.55 million in its first year, he added.
Business China's fund-raising efforts over the next five years will also get a shot in the arm with the help of Singapore Pools, which will match donations to the organisation dollar for dollar, up to $10 million.
Business China CEO Sam Tan was pleased with his organisation's progress, noting: 'We've had 15 activities with 5,000 participants. Our target for 2009 is to have 19 activities with 7,000-8,000 participants.'
Business China's corporate members are also pitching in to help train participants.
CB Richard Ellis Asia chairman Willy Shee said that the company is prepared to partner with Business China to offer internships to Singapore students and young executives at its offices across various provinces in China.
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
No comments:
Post a Comment