Bulletin Number Four 1986

Conference on Chinese Banking & Nation Building in SE Asia The International Conference on Chinese Banking and Nation Building in Southeast Asia, organized by the Overseas Chinese Archives, Centre for Contem porary Asian Studies, was held at the Cho Yiu Con ference Hall o f the University in 10th-11th October, 1986. This was one o f the major activities organized by the Archives since it was established in 1983. Thirty-five participants from Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong and Taiwan took part in this conference, including some notable bankers and banking specialists in the region. Professor G.H. Choa, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Chairman o f the Executive Committee o f the Overseas Chinese Archives, officiated at the opening ceremony, and the Honourable David K.P. L i, Director and Chief Executive o f the Bank o f East Asia and member o f the Legislative Council, was invited to be the keynote speaker o f the conference. In his opening address, Professor Choa stated that the theme o f the confer ence was very timely and important. He stressed that although Chinese banking in this region came as early as Western banking, and no later than modern banking in China, the study o f the value o f Chinese banking and the role o f Chinese bankers in nation-building seemed to have been rarely attempted, if not com pletely neglected. He was proud o f the fact that the Overseas Chinese Archives were the first to organize a conference on this theme. The keynote speech by the Honourable David Li was entitled ‘The Development o f Chinese Banking in Southeast Asia', and among the audience were over forty academics and administrators o f the University as well as prominent local bankers, in addition to the registered participants. One o f the unique features o f this conference was the exchange o f views between bankers and aca demics. The conference was divided into seven sessions, and a total o f eleven papers was presented, five o f which by teachers o f the University. Topics covered were broad and diversified, and the following is a list o f the papers: The growth and development o f Chinese bank capitalist in Thailand', by Miss Punnee Bualek, K rirk Institute, Thailand; 'Management perceptions o f marketing effectiveness: a study o f Bank o f China Group in Hong Kong', by Dr. Chan Tsang-sing, Department o f Marketing and International Business, CUHK; 'Localization o f Chinese banking in Southeast Asia', by Dr. Chang Chak-yan, Department o f Govern ment and Public Administration, CUHK; 'The financial system and development in Malaysia', by Dr. Hing Ai-yun, Department o f Anthropology and Sociology, University o f Malaya, Malaysia; 'Performance o f Chinese banks in Hong Kong', by Dr. Ho Yan-ki, Department o f Accounting and Finance, CUHK; 'Competition among commercial banks in Hong Kong — a strategic marketing review for local Chinese banks', by Dr. Lee Kam-hon, Department of Marketing and International Business, CUHK; 'The role o f domestic bank in economic development in Singapore', by Professor Lee Sheng-yi, National University o f Singapore and Chung Hua Institution o f Economic Research; 'Chinese banking and economic development in Indonesia', by Dr. Hank Lim , Department o f Economics and Statistics, National University of Singapore; 'Banking crisis in Hong Kong and Taiwan: a com parative perspective', by Dr. Jao Yu-ching, Depart ment o f Economics, University o f Hong Kong; 'Evolution and prospect o f Chinese banks in Malaysia', by Mr. Shue Kwong-tau, Malayan Banking HQ, Malaysia; 'Chinese bankers' perceptions o f banking environment and the competitive strategies o f local Chinese banks in Hong Kong', by Dr. Nyaw Mee-kau and Mr. Lau Ho-fuk, Faculty o f Business Administra tion, CUHK. The seven sessions were chaired respectively by Dr. Lawerence Tai, Head o f Department of Accounting and Finance, Dr. Gwee Yee-hean, Execu tive Director, The Industrial and Commercial Bank Corporation, Singapore, Dr. Y.C. Jao, Reader of Department o f Economics, University o f Hong Kong, Mr. C.M. Chang, Head o f Department o f General Business Management and Personnel Management, Professor K.C. Mun, Head o f Department o f Marketing and International Business, Dr. Kuan Hsin-chi, Director o f Centre for Contemporary Asian Studies, and Professor S.Y. Lee, National University of Singapore. The conference was sponsored by the Lee Foundation in Singapore and The Chinese Banks' Association o f Hong Kong. The organizing committee comprised Dr. Nyaw Mee-kau (Conference Chairman), Dr. C.Y. Chang, Miss Marian Fung (Conference Secretary) and Miss lily Cheung. Papers presented at this conference w ill be edited and published at a later date. —Dr. Nyaw Mee-kau NEWS 13