The World Chinese Entrepreneurs Convention (WCEC) is the largest and most important independent event that brings together Chinese entrepreneurs from around the globe. It seeks to gather together the successful business elite of the Chinese diaspora that has spread around the globe since the 19^th Century.

Now in its 27^th year, this biennial event serves as the major platform linking Chinese business organisations, Chinese companies from around the world, and their international partners to drive economic, trade and business cooperation.

The WCEC was founded in 1991 by the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry, the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce Hong Kong, and the Thai-Chinese Chamber of Commerce. These three organisations are still the main driving force behind the WCEC today.

Since May 1998, the Founding Members of the WCEC established a Secretariat, which serves as an organising committee that oversees the work of the WCEC. It ensures consistency and continuity in the planning and implementation of the Convention and other activities to strengthen and expand the WCEC network.

The WCEC has an advisory committee that is composed of heads of the three founding Chambers of Commerce, as well as heads of other Chinese Chambers of Commerce from around the world – including Canada, Australia, Korea, Malaysia, Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines. The President of the Advisory Committee is Mr Roland Ng San Tiong, who also chairs the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Industry and Commerce.

The WCEC has strong support, but is independent from, the Chinese Government. In 2013 the 12th WCEC in Chengdu was commended by President Xi Jinping who sent the organisers a congratulatory letter of support.

Past conventions have been held in Singapore, Canada, Australia, Thailand, Korea, Japan, Malaysia, and China (see section D for further detail). Recent Conventions have attracted 3,000 to 5,000 participants, and have welcomed senior government, industry and business leaders.

WCEC 2019

The 15^th WCEC will be hosted in London on 21-23 October 2019, and be held in the Excel Centre. This will be the first time the WCEC has been held in Europe. The Convention expects to attract nearly 4,000 delegates from up to 80 countries. Political leaders of China, Malaysia, Singapore, and other Asian countries are expected to attend.