Among our 4,000 corporate members, there are a variety of reasons why they join the Chamber. Some join for our business policy work. Some join to attend our programmes. Others join for the networking opportunities. Many join to use our trade documentation services. Others like the information we provide both orally and in written form. And still others like the specific membership benefits/discounts we can provide. I think most members agree that our Chamber does all of the above pretty well, and members get value for their money.

However, one aspect which some other Chambers in town perhaps do better than us is a sense of fellowship among members. Foreign chambers have a natural advantage since expatriates from a single country often like to socialise with fellow countrymen and women using their chamber. Some local chambers are more social in nature -- or represent a single profession -- and are able to develop a closeness that some believe the more diverse Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce does not have. I am convinced we are the best business association in Hong Kong in terms of helping companies do business, but there are those who feel we need to improve on the sense of "togetherness" and fellowship among our members.

In addition, our trade missions, though mainly for developing businesses, are ideal for developing camaraderie. There is nothing like travelling together for several days from morning till night to get to know each other better. Recent trips to the Pearl River Delta, Xiamen, Tibet and Europe have been useful business-wise but also resulted in continuing friendships and good feelings. The Chamber golf outing in late August drew over 60 golfers who are asking for more chances to play golf together, perhaps once a quarter.

In late September, we had a "Chamber Dining Club" dinner with over 100 members doing nothing but eating and enjoying each other's friendship (see page 51). We plan to have this dinner club once a quarter. We will also try to use this dinner to bring trip participants together informally once they are back in Hong Kong -- almost every trip would like to have a "reunion" after the trip and this dinner can serve as the venue if they wish.

And of course, even our regular Chamber programmes, especially the sandwich lunch programmes in our conference room, provide opportunities for members to get to know each other better.