Jiang Ziya remained an obscure fisherman before helping King Wu of Zhou unify nine warring states; Guan Zhong introduced sweeping commerce-oriented reforms that expedited Duke Huan of Qi’s great conquest; Xiao He formulated the Han dynasty’s regulatory framework out of ancient literature; and Zhuge Liang ingeniously practiced strategizing during the tumultuous Three Kingdoms period. Their reputation for visionary insights proved to be awe-inspiring and long-lived, leaving indelible marks in Chinese history.

Undaunted by the major setback of China’s Civil War (1927-1950), people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait have proven their economic prowess to the whole world: the Taiwan Miracle was due to four decades of earnest state-initiated development efforts, while the 1979 announcement of the “reform & opening up” policy unleashed China’s talented workforce, among other competitive advantages. As we embrace an era of long-awaited dominance by Chinese, it is worth noting that the seeds of such prosperity were sown by astute, history-making minds who thought ahead of the curve.

For a genuine “Chinese era” to materialize, however, both Taiwan and China must move beyond prejudices, take a proactive approach to collaboration, and transform what they have already achieved into a reciprocal, win-win situation that may eventually lead to a trade bloc connecting Chinese communities worldwide.

It was rather bold of me to cofound the CCICS in Hong Kong in 1989, when the Taiwanese government’s stance toward potential commercial ties with China seemed uncertain. As its elected chairman, I proudly witnessed CCICS reach an unprecedented cross-strait trade partnership with the Chinese Economic and Trade Coordination Society, chaired by Zheng Hongye and also based in Hong Kong. That pioneering move was intended to empower the world’s Chinese population to not only revisit ancestral milestones, but also to pyramid their shared fruits of growth into an economic megastructure that proactively marks the advent of the Chinese era!

The brand-new CCICS website is expected to make trade information and services more accessible for Chinese businesses worldwide. Should you have any inquiries about the website, please do not hesitate to contact us. Dear fellow Chinese, wherever you are, please join me in preserving our common heritage and taking the initiative to make history, a history of our own!

Sincerely yours,

Chang Pen-Tsao,
Chairman,
The Business Development Foundation of the Chinese Straits
The Chinese Commercial & Industrial Coordination Society