ACC Secretary-General Met with SICC Chief Executive Victor Mills

On 27 July 2015, ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) Secretary-General H.E. Mme. Yang Xiuping met with Mr. Victor Mills, Chief Executive of Singapore International Chamber of Commerce (SICC), in Singapore.

Mr. Victor Mills expressed that SICC was founded in Singapore in 1837, making it the region’s longest serving business association. SICC was proud of its diverse membership which comprised about 700 companies from 40 countries. As the bridge between the companies and the Singaporean government, SICC was mandated to meet the needs of the business circle, provide policy counseling to the government, protect the interests of the businesses, as well as sustain the vibrant economy of Singapore. With the realization of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), Singapore-China economic cooperation would embrace more opportunities for development. SICC looked forward to playing a constructive role in deepening Singapore-China economic cooperation.    

Secretary-General Yang commended the work of SICC in promoting ASEAN-China cooperation. She highlighted that in 2013 ASEAN and China celebrated the 10th anniversary of ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership. 2016 would mark the 25th anniversary of ASEAN-China dialogue relations. Entrusted by the 11 governments of ASEAN Member States and China, ACC was dedicated to enhancing ASEAN-China functional cooperation in trade, investment, education, culture, tourism. Singapore was the business hub linking the East and the West. ACC would like to enhance communication, work hand-in-hand with SICC, so as to jointly elevate ASEAN-China and Singapore-China economic cooperation to a higher stage.

Both sides held an in-depth exchange of views on issues of common interest, including ASEAN Community building and the prospects for ASEAN development.