No better place to call home for tycoon
He came, he saw, he decided to make Singapore his home. Last month, Mr Zhong Sheng Jian became the first China-born new immigrant to be elected vice-president of the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The head of Yanlord Land group tells why he was inspired to serve the community.
By Leong Weng Kam
CHINA-BORN property tycoon Zhong Sheng Jian has built thousands of houses and condominium units in at least 10 cities around China.
But ask him where his home is, and his immediate answer is: Singapore.
As the developer tells it, from the moment he set foot on the island 23 years ago, he decided to sink his roots here.
Then, he was a budding 30-year-old entrepreneur based in Hong Kong. He was calling on Mr Alan Wong of Molins Far East, a tobacco machinery trading house for a British manufacturer, with whom he had dealings for more than five years but had never met.
Call it instinct, gut feel or snap judgment, but his decision to move to Singapore changed his life and his family's forever.
Today, he is chairman and chief executive officer of Yanlord Land, a developer of high-end residential and commercial projects, mainly in China.
Recounting that first visit to Singapore, Mr Zhong, now 52, says: 'My business associate Mr Wong took me to the public housing estates and I marvelled at how well they were built and maintained.'
Like any astute businessman, he acted swiftly, and applied for permanent residency right away before he returned to Hong Kong.
Mr Wong, now 68, who retired from Molins several years ago, remains a close friend. He recalls Mr Zhong as one of his company's top 10 customers then.
'I was probably the first Singaporean whom he met. I remember even sponsoring his PR application. He was so excited about coming here that he gave up his original plan to move to Australia.'
Mr Zhong moved here with his family the following year when he set up his first Singapore-registered business, a trading company called Yanlord Enterprise. He became a Singapore citizen three years later in 1992.
Their first home here was a large, upmarket condominium unit in Balmoral Park. Later, they moved to their present bungalow at Binjai Hill where his five children, three girls and two boys now aged between 20 and 25, grew up.
Speaking in his Teochew-accented Mandarin in an interview at his 36th-floor office at Suntec City Tower overlooking Marina Bay earlier this week, Mr Zhong lists two main reasons for settling here.
'First, Singapore is a beautiful city with a cosy living environment and social stability, and it is very near to China. And for Chinese immigrants like ourselves, we face no language or cultural barriers as Chinese (dialects) and Mandarin are widely used here too.
'Second, from the perspective of a businessman, this is a good place because of its stable government, the practice of the rule of law and good infrastructure and communications systems which link Singapore to any part of the world.'
To him, Singapore is indeed an ideal place both to live and work.
'Many leading business and government leaders in China I know have sent their children here for education because of the excellent education system and facilities,' he adds.
His decision to move here has paid off bountifully as his company's fortunes grew in tandem with Singapore's economic development over the past two decades.
As he notes, Singapore's gross domestic product (GDP) grew from a mere $53 billion in 1988, the year he arrived, to $303 billion last year, a nearly sixfold increase. Annual per capita income during the same period rose from $18,000 to $57,000.
He plunged into property development in China in a big way in the early 1990s when private home ownership was allowed and land was still affordable there, he says, because of inspiration from the quality, upmarket private housing in Singapore, such as his first home in Balmoral Park.
Two decades ago, living conditions were still very poor in China. So when his company rolled out China's first high-end residential developments in Shanghai in 1993, they became a big hit with the growing affluent population, especially among the younger generation.
Yanlord's brand name and popularity soon spread to the other cities where the company quickly built similar high-end residential projects and shopping malls, one after another.
Such was his affinity with Singapore that he succeeded in persuading about 40 of his family members and their offspring to move here from Lufeng city in Guangdong province over the years. Mr Zhong comes from a family of eight siblings.
One of his nephews, Siliang, 32, sits on the board of Yanlord Land. Mr Zhong's mother came to live with him in Singapore and died about six years ago, aged 88.
He and his family members were among the early groups of new immigrants from China to move to Singapore following China's open-door policy in the early 1980s, when rules were relaxed for Chinese to live and work overseas.
Did he encounter any problems integrating and living in Singapore? No, he says, noting that Singaporeans generally welcomed foreigners who could help to improve both the size and quality of the population and contribute to the country's economic growth.
In his view, there is no better place than Singapore for new Chinese immigrants to integrate, live and work because of its developed 'social cells' or networking community groups which promote kinship and bonds through Chinese clan associations and trade associations.
Many grassroots organisations in Singapore, such as community centres and clubs, also help newcomers integrate into the mainstream society, he notes.
'Each of these organisations has a secretariat which provides good information on Singapore, its past and present and all you need to know,' he adds.
Another reason he cites for Singapore's success in attracting foreigners is the high expectations and requirements set for all would-be immigrants. 'You either have money to invest in viable business projects, or talent and skills to offer before you can come.'
In recent years, despite his heavy schedule, Mr Zhong has played a more active role in the Chinese community. He is the first China-born new immigrant to be elected vice-president of the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI). He is serving a second three-year term as board member of Business China and sits on the governing council of the Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations (SFCCA).
Asked why he became involved in community service, Mr Zhong says he was inspired by the many Singapore community and business leaders who are willing to spend time and money to serve the community in spite of their busy work schedule.
As examples, he singles out SCCCI president Teo Siong Seng and the president of SFCCA, Mr Chua Thian Poh.
'I am particularly impressed by the century-old SCCCI whose official seal was a gift from the Qing Emperor Guang Xu. Turning to the long history of the chamber and seeing the photographs of its past presidents, some with pigtails, I cannot but feel inspired to want to serve as well.
'I believe the growth and prosperity of any country are dependent on the continued hard work and contributions from one generation to another. The able must do their part to keep it going.'
Singapore business and community leaders who work with Mr Zhong speak highly of him.
SCCCI president Teo says: 'We are fortunate to have him serve in the chamber because he is a role model for other new Chinese immigrants.
'He is a successful entrepreneur and developer. His good network in China can also help our members who want to invest or seek partnerships in China.'
Business China chief executive and MP for Toa Payoh-Bishan GRC, Mrs Josephine Teo, says: 'He is successful and one of Singapore's richest men but remains humble and committed to serving the community. He listens attentively at our meetings and often comes up with very good viewpoints.'
What tip would Mr Zhong offer to aspiring entrepreneurs?
His reply: 'The business environment and conditions change all the time and success is all about decisiveness in making the right decisions and sound judgment.'
wengkam@sph.com.sg
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HARD TO INTEGRATE? NOT IN S'PORE
'If your surname is Zhong or Chen, what you need to do upon arriving here is simply walk into a Chinese clan association for members who share your surname or native home in China. You will have a family there waiting for you.
Or if you are from a particular business or trade, you can similarly find an association representing the same business or trade to become a member. It is all up to you.
Nowhere in the world can you find integration made so easy for new immigrants, not even in China where community and business organisations are not as developed due to long-time government control.
There you cannot find similar clan or trade associations so easily as you move from one province to another to live and work.'
Mr Zhong Sheng Jian, on why there is no better place than Singapore for new Chinese immigrants to integrate, live and work
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From dropout to self-made billionaire
WHEN his name surfaced in Forbes Asia magazine's annual list of global billionaires in 2007 as the fourth-richest Singaporean, many people were baffled.
He was ranked only behind Far East Organisation's Ng Teng Fong, United Overseas Bank's Wee Cho Yaw and Hong Leong Group's Kwek Leng Beng.
At 49 then, he was also cited as Singapore's youngest billionaire.
Just who is Zhong Sheng Jian?
The China-born property tycoon was said to be worth $2.7 billion at that time, based mainly on his shareholdings in Yanlord Land, a public-listed property developer with mainly high-end residential and commercial projects in cities all over China. He founded the company here in 1992.
Yanlord Land, which employs a few thousand people, mainly in projects in China, collected $1.6 billion in revenue and more than $300 million in profits in 2009.
Besides property development, Mr Zhong's other business interests are in manufacturing, printing and finance, with offices in several places including Australia, China, Hong Kong and Singapore.
Forbes Asia's latest list last year shows that his ranking has dropped to seventh place in Singapore. The report says his wealth has shrunk by about 10 per cent because of the Chinese government's efforts to cool the property market.
Last year, he was named Businessman of the Year at the Singapore Business Awards by The Business Times and DHL Express Singapore.
Born in a small Teochew city in Lufeng in Guangdong province to a hawker and his wife, Mr Zhong could not complete his secondary school education because of the Chinese Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), which forced him to work.
'I took up many jobs, including working for the purchasing department of a canning factory. I started trading first by importing paper to China following the country's open-door policy in 1978,' he recalls.
But after the Cultural Revolution, many opportunities opened up in China for businesses as the country was facing a shortage in almost everything.
'What you needed were connections to bring in the goods to China and everything would sell,' he says.
He switched from importing to manufacturing and moved his business to Hong Kong by the early 1980s. Then he moved to Singapore in 1989.
Mr Zhong started helping Singapore companies to do business in China in 2003 when he became an adviser to International Enterprise Singapore.
This was followed by his participation in several China-Singapore joint initiatives such as the Singapore-Sichuan Trade and Investment Committee, Singapore-Jiangsu Cooperation Council and Singapore-Tianjin Cooperation Council.
He was elected to the 55th council of the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in 2009 and was appointed chairman of its International Affairs Committee. Last month, he was elected the chamber's vice-president for the 56th council.
He was re-appointed for a second three-year term as board member of Business China, a non-profit community organisation formed to promote better understanding and business between Singapore and China.
Mr Zhong, who is honorary president of the Hai Lu Feng Association, Singapore, became the first new Chinese immigrant to be elected to the council of the Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations, an umbrella body for about 200 local Chinese clan groups, at its elections last October.
Mr Zhong first set foot on Singapore 23 years ago when he arrived on a business trip. As he tells it, he decided immediately that this was where he would sink his roots. He moved here with his family the following year and set up his first Singapore-registered business. -- ST PHOTO: NURIA LING
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