Chee Hong Tat takes over as chairman of Chinese Community Liaison Group from Edwin Tong
Minister for National Development Chee Hong Tat succeeds Minister for Law Edwin Tong as CCLG chairman from May 23. PHOTOS: ST FILE, JOO CHIAT CONSTITUENCY OFFICE
Chee Hong Tat takes over as chairman of Chinese Community Liaison Group from Edwin Tong
SINGAPORE – Minister for National Development Chee Hong Tat has been appointed chairman of the Chinese Community Liaison Group (CCLG), a group tasked to deepen the Government's relationship with Chinese community organisations and to strengthen cooperation among the various Chinese community groups.
He succeeded Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs Edwin Tong as CCLG chairman on May 23.
In a statement from the Prime Minister's Office on the same day, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said Mr Chee, as a member of CCLG since 2015, had been actively involved with the Chinese community and regularly engaged many of its members, in particular the clans and business associations.
PM Wong said he is confident that Mr Chee will continue the CCLG's good work and further strengthen ties between the Government and the Chinese community here.
Established in 2000, the CCLG comprises office-holders and MPs who regularly engage the Chinese community.
'I look forward to Hong Tat working closely with key Chinese community organisations to strengthen leadership renewal so that they can remain relevant and dynamic,' said PM Wong.
The Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations (SFCCA) said separately on May 23 that it warmly welcomed Mr Chee as the new CCLG chairman.
The federation, the apex body of Chinese clan associations in Singapore, noted that Mr Chee had been maintaining close and lasting ties with the Chinese community, such as by participating in SFCCA events, and that he was the guest of honour at dialogues co-organised with government feedback unit Reach.
Mr Tong, who had held the post since November 2020, will continue to serve as CCLG's adviser.
PM Wong thanked Mr Tong for his contributions to the group, and said Mr Tong and other CCLG members had done much in the past five years to engage the Chinese community.
'During the Covid-19 pandemic, Edwin and CCLG members worked with key Chinese community organisations to identify innovative ways to maintain contact with the members of the Chinese community and provide support to vulnerable segments,' he said.
'Notably, Edwin also played a key role in successfully mediating the settlement between the Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan and Ngee Ann Kongsi over redevelopment plans for the historic Teochew Building.'
The SFCCA also thanked Mr Tong for his contributions, and said the former culture, community and youth minister had been 'instrumental in advancing cultural legacy and fostering social cohesion'.
As CCLG chairman, Mr Tong consistently championed the development of the Chinese community, such as through his strong support for the annual River Hongbao. He also made regular visits to various clan associations and community groups and actively listened to their views, it noted.
The federation said it looked forward to working more closely with Mr Chee to promote social cohesion and build a more inclusive and harmonious society, and with Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth and Senior Minister of State for Education David Neo to further promote cultural and community development.
'Looking ahead, the federation will continue to work closely with the broader Chinese community to deepen collaboration with the 4G leadership team,' said SFCCA president Thomas Chua.
'We remain committed to serving as a bridge between the Government and the community, working together to contribute to Singapore's long-term social and national development.'
Chin Soo Fang is senior correspondent at The Straits Times covering topics such as community, politics, social issues, consumer, culture and heritage.
Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
8 hours ago
- Straits Times
US urges China to dissuade Iran from closing Strait of Hormuz
FILE PHOTO: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks at the American Compass fifth anniversary gala at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 3, 2025. REUTERS/Nathan Howard/File Photo US urges China to dissuade Iran from closing Strait of Hormuz WASHINGTON - U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday called on China to encourage Iran to not shut down the Strait of Hormuz after Washington carried out strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. Rubio's comments on Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo" show came after Iran's Press TV reported that the Iranian parliament approved a measure to close the Strait of Hormuz, through which around 20% of global oil and gas flows. "I encourage the Chinese government in Beijing to call them about that, because they heavily depend on the Straits of Hormuz for their oil," said Rubio, who also serves as national security adviser. "If they do that, it will be another terrible mistake. It's economic suicide for them if they do it. And we retain options to deal with that, but other countries should be looking at that as well. It would hurt other countries' economies a lot worse than ours." Rubio said a move to close the strait would be a massive escalation that would merit a response from the U.S. and others. The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately provide comment. U.S. officials said it "obliterated" Iran's main nuclear sites using 14 bunker-buster bombs, more than two dozen Tomahawk missiles and over 125 military aircraft. The strikes mark an escalation in the ongoing Middle Eastern conflict. Tehran has vowed to defend itself. Rubio on Sunday warned against retaliation, saying such an action would be "the worst mistake they've ever made." He added that the U.S. is prepared to talk with Iran. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
11 hours ago
- Straits Times
Taiwan is ‘of course' a country, president says in rebuke to China
China's threat to Taiwan is real, said Mr Lai, pointing to its daily military activities around the island. PHOTO: REUTERS Taiwan is 'of course' a country, president says in rebuke to China TAIPEI - Taiwan is "of course" a country and China lacks both the historical evidence and legal proof to back up its sovereignty claims, President Lai Ching-te said on June 22 in a strong rebuke to Beijing and its stepped up political and military pressure. China says democratically-governed Taiwan is "sacred" Chinese territory that has belonged to the country since ancient times, and that the island is one of its provinces with no right to be called a state. Mr Lai and his government strongly reject that view, and have offered talks with China multiple times but have been rejected. China calls Mr Lai a "separatist". Giving the first of 10 speeches in a series called "uniting the country", Mr Lai drew on Taiwan's history, including the millennia-long connection of its indigenous people to other Austronesians, like native Hawaiians, to show what he said was Taiwan's separate and distinct development from China. Taiwan's people have a record of opposing invasion, like uprisings against Japan's 1895-1945 colonial rule, and under the last imperial Chinese dynasty, the Qing, Taiwan was only considered a Chinese province for eight years, he added. "Of course Taiwan is a country," he said at a speech to a Taiwan branch of Rotary International, pointing also to its presidential elections. "But China says no, that Taiwan is not a sovereign country." China's Taiwan's Affairs Office did not respond to a request for comment outside of office hours. China says the 1971 United Nations resolution, which took away Taipei's seat in the body and gave it to Beijing, is one of the legal bases of its claims. Mr Lai, who in March called China a "hostile foreign force", said it was "totally wrong" for Beijing to say that UN resolution had anything to do with Taiwan's sovereignty as it was only about which government was represented at the body. China's threat to Taiwan is real, added Mr Lai, pointing to its daily military activities around the island. "Taiwan's future can only be decided by its 23 million people - does everyone approve of this?" he said, to a round of applause. The defeated Republic of China government fled to Taiwan in 1949 after losing a civil war with Mao Zedong's communists, and that remains the island's formal name. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
11 hours ago
- Straits Times
Taiwan is 'of course' a country, president says in rebuke to China
Taiwan is 'of course' a country, president says in rebuke to China TAIPEI - Taiwan is "of course" a country and China lacks both the historical evidence and legal proof to back up its sovereignty claims, President Lai Ching-te said on Sunday in a strong rebuke to Beijing and its stepped up political and military pressure. China says democratically-governed Taiwan is "sacred" Chinese territory that has belonged to the country since ancient times, and that the island is one of its provinces with no right to be called a state. Lai and his government strongly reject that view, and have offered talks with China multiple times but have been rejected. China calls Lai a "separatist". Giving the first of 10 speeches in a series called "uniting the country", Lai drew on Taiwan's history, including the millennia-long connection of its indigenous people to other Austronesians, like native Hawaiians, to show what he said was Taiwan's separate and distinct development from China. Taiwan's people have a record of opposing invasion, like uprisings against Japan's 1895-1945 colonial rule, and under the last imperial Chinese dynasty, the Qing, Taiwan was only considered a Chinese province for eight years, he added. "Of course Taiwan is a country," he said at a speech to a Taiwan branch of Rotary International, pointing also to its presidential elections. "But China says no, that Taiwan is not a sovereign country." China's Taiwan's Affairs Office did not respond to a request for comment outside of office hours. China says the 1971 United Nations resolution, which took away Taipei's seat in the body and gave it to Beijing, is one of the legal bases of its claims. Lai, who in March called China a "hostile foreign force", said it was "totally wrong" for Beijing to say that U.N. resolution had anything to do with Taiwan's sovereignty as it was only about which government was represented at the body. China's threat to Taiwan is real, added Lai, pointing to its daily military activities around the island. "Taiwan's future can only be decided by its 23 million people - does everyone approve of this?" he said, to a round of applause. The defeated Republic of China government fled to Taiwan in 1949 after losing a civil war with Mao Zedong's communists, and that remains the island's formal name. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
