[Recap] Shanghai Student Orientation | Singapore Chamber of Commerce in China

June 06, 2025

Hosted by SingCham Shanghai, SingCham Youth Development & Singapore Students' Association.

由中国新加坡商会上海主办，中国新加坡商会青年发展部及新加坡学生协会协办。

On 24 May 2025, SingCham Shanghai, in collaboration with SingCham Youth Development and the Singapore Students’ Association, hosted a student orientation at Ascendas Plaza to warmly welcome the latest cohort of Singaporean students in Shanghai. The event was supported by the Consulate-General of the Republic of Singapore in Shanghai. It brought together full-time students, exchange students, and interns, fostering early connections and offering insights into living, studying, and working in China.

2025年5月24日，中国新加坡商会上海携手中国新加坡商会青年发展部及新加坡学生协会，于上海腾飞大厦为在沪新加坡新生代学子举办迎新活动。本次活动获新加坡驻上海总领事馆鼎力支持，汇聚全日制学生、交换生与实习生群体，通过建立早期联结，分享在华生活、求学及职业发展经验。

01 Opening Remarks开场致辞

Mr Henry Cheng, Vice Chairman of SingCham Shanghai, kickstarted the session by highlighting SingCham’s mission in promoting Singaporean business interests and serving as a bridge between Singapore and China, economically, socially, and culturally. He introduced the chamber’s diverse initiatives aimed at building a supportive network for Singaporeans in China.

中国新加坡商会上海副会长钟汉杰先生以商会的核心使命为活动拉开序幕：推动新加坡商业利益，并致力于在经济、社会及文化领域搭建新中两国桥梁。他介绍了商会为在中国的新加坡人建立支持网络所推行的多元化举措。

He also shared the vision behind SingCham Youth Development, which aims to:

他还分享了中国新加坡商会青年发展计划背后的愿景，该计划旨在：

Equip Singaporean youths with localised and in-depth perspectives of China,
Promote people-to-people exchanges with Chinese peers,
Offer exposure to China’s unique business landscape,
And instill the entrepreneurial spirit and resilience essential to navigating China’s dynamic environment.
为新加坡青年提供中国本土化深度视角
促进与中国同龄人的人际交流
开拓中国独特商业生态的认知
培养在中国动态环境中至关重要的创业精神与适应力

Following Mr Henry Cheng's remarks, Ning Shyan, Vice President of the Singapore Students' Association (SSA) Shanghai, welcomed the new cohort. She outlined SSA's mission and highlighted the upcoming weekend trip to Hangzhou, encouraging all students to participate.

钟汉杰先生发言结束后，上海新加坡学生协会（SSA）副主席嬣萱对新一届成员表示欢迎。她概述了协会的使命，并着重介绍了即将在周末举行的杭州之旅，鼓励所有学生积极参与。

Following, audiences helped themselves to a comforting spread from Sky Restaurant featuring local Singapore favourites such as satay and bee hoon—bringing a taste of home to Shanghai.

随后，来宾们享用了由天空餐厅精心准备的新加坡特色美食，从沙爹到炒米粉——地道的家乡风味慰藉了上海学子们的舌尖与乡愁。

The audience then heard from a diverse panel of Singaporeans living and working in China:

接着，来自不同领域、在华生活工作的新加坡嘉宾们依次分享了他们的经验：

Ms Jenny Chan, China Editor, WARC Asia Pacific, shared her experience adapting to the media and creative industries in China.
陈詠欣女士（WARC中国主编）：分享中国媒体与创意产业适应之道

Mr Samuel Tan, Chief Information Officer at Bosch China, offered practical advice on professional growth, cross-cultural communication, and long-term career planning.
陈养威先生（博世中国首席信息官）：解析职业发展、跨文化沟通与长期规划实战策略

Ms Aeon Ho, Managing Director of a lifestyle and medtech company, shared on the experiences of enterpreneurship vs corporate job, and her journey starting afresh and embracing uncertainity in China's dynamic startup scene.
何玟錦女士（生活方式与医疗科技公司执行董事）：深度剖析创业与职场生涯的抉择，分享从企业高管转型中国创业者的破局之路——在动态市场环境中"清零重启"，于不确定性中淬炼第二增长曲线

Mr Ronnie Ng, an entrepreneur, shared his experiences in China since arriving in Shanghai over twenty years ago.
黄贵鸿先生（资深企业家）：以二十年深耕历程，透视在华商业生态变迁

Their stories provided meaningful insight into building both career and community abroad.

这些真实故事为海外生涯规划与人脉网络搭建提供了深刻启示。

02 New Consul-General's Remarks新任总领事致辞

The highlight of the event is marked by Mr Loh Tuck Keat's presence as he shared his experience in China, and encouraged the students to maximise their stay in China through meaningful visits to various parts of China, emphasizing the importance of staying connected and be open-minded.

本次活动的重要时刻，当属新加坡驻上海总领事罗德杰先生的压轴分享。他以自身深耕中国多年的经验为经纬，寄语学子既要"读万卷书"——通过深度探访中国各地拓展认知边界，更要"行万里路"——以开放包容的胸襟善用在华历练机遇。这番融贯中西智慧的箴言，恰似一柄解码中国机遇的金钥匙。

03 Student Sharing Session学生分享会

One of the most heartfelt segments of the day was the student sharing session, where attendees from different universities and backgrounds shared their motivations for choosing to study or exchange in China.

当日最打动人心的环节之一是学生分享会。来自不同大学和背景的参与者们分享了他们选择在中国学习或交流的初衷。

We heard from:

我们聆听了以下分享：

Bao Ruoyun (Fudan University) shared how finding Singaporean friends on campus transformed her experience, making student life more enjoyable after her challenging transition to online classes.
包若昀（复旦大学）：讲述了在校园里结交新加坡朋友如何改变了她初到中国时的体验。在经历了艰难的线上课程过渡后，这些朋友让她的学生生活变得更加愉快。

Toh Jun Jie (NTU exchange student at Shanghai Jiao Tong University) recounted his month-long apartment hunt in Shenzhen, a trial that taught him valuable lessons about living in China.
卓俊杰（南洋理工大学交换生，就读于上海交通大学）：回忆了他在深圳为期一个月的找房经历，这场考验让他学到了在中国生活的宝贵一课。

Keith Goh (Venture Capital intern) drew laughter describing his first week surviving solely on xiaolongbao while struggling to read Chinese menus.
吴启光（风险投资实习生）：描述了他第一周在努力看懂中文菜单的窘境下，全靠小笼包度日的趣事，引发了现场阵阵笑声。

Clarence Tan (Fudan University) expressed gratitude for his NYJC teachers' encouragement, which inspired him to pursue Chinese cultural studies in Shanghai.
陈炯睿（复旦大学）：表达了对国家初级学院（NYJC）老师们鼓励的感激之情，正是这份鼓励激励他来到上海研习中国文化。

Tan Wei Tian (Shanghai Theatre Academy) radiated enthusiasm about her Chinese opera training, particularly the intergenerational learning environment and professional coaching.
陈纬恬（上海戏剧学院）：洋溢着对中国戏曲训练的热情，尤其提到了其中代际交流的学习环境和专业指导。

From pursuing language immersion to exploring China’s fast-evolving industries, the students candidly discussed their aspirations and the challenges of adapting to a new environment, including language barriers, cultural adjustments, and occasional homesickness.

从精进语言能力到探索中国产业新浪潮，学子们畅所欲言——既抒壮志，亦坦言适应新环境的挑战：语言关隘、文化调适，乃至偶尔泛起的思乡之情。

This orientation marked a meaningful beginning for many—a moment to connect, reflect, and look ahead. We look forward to growing this Singaporean student network in China, and to many more events that bring us closer together.

此次迎新活动对众多学子而言，是一个意义深远的起点——在相聚中沉淀，于回望中自省，更向着未来蓄力前行。我们期待在中华大地茁壮成长的新加坡学子社群，也盼望着更多联结心灵的相聚。

Special thanks to:

- SingCham organizing committee and mentors for their dedicated efforts

- Our venue sponsor, Ascendas, for generously hosting this event

特此鸣谢：