Malaysia set to win bid to host World Chinese Entrepreneurs Convention
LONDON: The Associated Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (ACCCIM) is set to win its bid to host the prestigious 16th World Chinese Entrepreneurs Convention (WCEC) in 2021, according to officials in the know.
“Malaysia will be the host for the next WCEC,” said David Tang, a founding president of UK Chinese Business Association (UK CBA), in response to a question from The Star.
The current 15th WCEC, being held at London’s ExCel Exhibition Centre, is hosted and organised by UK CBA, with strong support from Beijing and the United Kingdom royal family.
A media partner working closely with organisers of the WCEC also told The Star that Malaysia has emerged as the winner in the keenly-contested bid.
However, ACCCIM president Tan Sri Ter Leong Yap was tight-lipped about the actual result, which has become an open secret among delegates to the convention.
The fact that Ter led a big delegation of 101 delegates from ACCCIM to attend the 15th WCEC in London is an indication that there could be good news.
Another indication is that two famous Malaysian singers, including Sheila Majid, are scheduled to perform at the closing and handover ceremony on Wednesday (Oct 23) night.
According to WCEC tradition, such entertainment has to be arranged by the next WCEC host at the handover.
The outcome of this international race for WCEC organisation in 2021 will be officially announced on Wednesday night.
WCEC, set up in 1991 and supported by host governments and Beijing, is the world’s largest and best-represented meeting of Chinese businessmen.
It provides an important platform for Chinese entrepreneurs all over the world to explore new business opportunities, build networks and foster economic cooperation.
Malaysia’s political stability, good infrastructure, business-friendly policies and ACCCIM’s strong leadership and organisation are said to be factors which tipped the scales in favour of Malaysia.
Ter believes hosting the WCEC will help boost Malaysia’s economic activities, trade, investment and tourism as it provides a golden opportunity to promote Malaysia as an investment hub and a gateway for global businessmen to gain access to different markets in the region and Muslim world.
Malaysia has previously hosted back in 2003 when ACCCIM organised the 7th WCEC from 27th-30th July in Kuala Lumpur.
The 7th WCEC, attended by 3,300 delegates from 21 countries and regions, was officially opened by the Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Founded jointly by the Chinese chambers of Singapore, Hong Kong and Thailand, this biennial WCEC event has become a platform for host countries to lure investments and boost tourism.
It has also become a platform for Chinese nationals to explore investment opportunities outside China.
Source: TheStar
