Introduction of San-San-Fe

About The Third Wednesday Club (San San Fe)

FOUNDATION

During his tenure as Chairman of the Council for Economic Planning and Development in late 1990s, Dr. Pin-Kung Chiang worked actively to promote concerted efforts between the government and the business community so as to successfully meet the challenges of accomplishing Taiwan’s economic transformation and industrial restructuring. Under the guidance of relevant government agencies and with the support of the private sector, the Third Wednesday Club was formally established in Taipei in July 1999. Dr. Chen-Fu Koo, then the most prominent and venerable business leader in the country, was elected Chairman of the new business organization. Three other highly influential business leaders were elected Vice Chairmen, including Dr. Jeffrey L.S. Koo, then Chairman of the Chinese National Association of Industry &Commerce.   Dr. Jeffrey L.S. Koo, Dr. P. K. Chiang and Mr. Shenghsiung Hsu subsequently became Chairman of the Club in 2003, 2012 and in 2018 respectively. Over the years, the Third Wednesday Club has become a well-established and foremost business organization in Taiwan, making tremendous contributions to the expansion of economic interaction between Taiwan and other countries, particularly Japan and mainland China.

The present Chairman of the Third Wednesday Club is Mr. Por-Fong Lin, Chairman of the Taiwan Glass Industry Corporation. The Vice Chairmen are Mr. Yih-Guei Wu, Chairman of USI Group; Mr. Chia yau Han, Chairman of Dachan Great Wall Group; and Mr. Tsing-Yuan Hwang, Chairman of the Board, The Tokyo Star Bank of CTBC Group. Currently, The Third Wednesday Club has a total of 79 Taiwan’s leading business conglomerates as its regular members and 65 famous enterprises as its sponsor members. The combined annual revenues of all the member companies of the Club stand in excess of USD 700 billion.

To groom the next generation of young entrepreneurs, the Club established Young Entrepreneurs Group of Third Wednesday Club (TWC-YEG) in October, 2015. The main goal of the TWC-YEG is to facilitate the exchange and sharing of excellent corporate culture among member companies so as to stimulate creative and innovative thinking in forging new business models conducive to the enhancement of international competitiveness and sustainable development of enterprises. Chaired by Richard Lin, Director of Taiwan Glass Industry Coorporation. TWC-YEG has 122 young entrepreneurs as its members.

Building on such a preeminent membership profile, all the members of the Club will work jointly in promoting international economic cooperation and boosting domestic business growth for the benefit of the society and the country as a whole.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES

• To foster and strengthen fellowship and friendship among members；
• To promote international business exchange and interaction aiming at forging strategic alliances between local and foreign enterprises；
• To enhance and upgrade the know-how and skills in conducting international investment and trade activities for the furtherance of international economic cooperation。

MAJOR ACTIVITIES

1. Monthly Lunch Meeting

As a rule, a lunch meeting is held on the third Wednesday of each month, hence the Club’s name “The Third Wednesday Club”.  In addition to fostering and strengthening fellowship and friendship among members, the monthly lunch meeting also serves as a platform for senior government leaders from various ministries to elaborate on current economic condition, global situation and government policies. To cope with the growing impacts of geopolitical tensions, economic disruptions and the prevailing of Covid-19, it is even more important for the government to provide policy guidance to the private sector’s long-term strategic planning and business development. On the other hand, member enterprises of the Club may also take the opportunity to make propositions and policy recommendations directly to the government.  Furthermore, renowned scholars and experts from abroad and at home are regularly invited to give special addresses diagnosing economic problems faced by Taiwan and prescribing measures to cope with international economic trends for the Club members’ information and adoption.

2. Overseas Visits

To help its members explore more opportunities for conducting international business cooperation with foreign companies, the Club had organized 38 huge trade missions and 2 smaller business delegations to visit big business conglomerates, large economic institutes, and major industrial zones in Japan.  During the visits, a series of seminars and meetings were arranged for club members to directly discuss business and exchange views with their Japanese counterparts. The practical and efficient approach received positive response and favorable comments from Japan’s business community and won recognition and reputation for the Club. To promote exchange and interaction with its Japanese counterparts, the Club signed an MOU with WASEDA University in October 2013, with 5 economic groups in Shizuoka Ken in November 2015, and with Osaka Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Kyoto Chamber of Commerce & Industry in March 2016. Furthermore, the Club signed MOUs with The Kyushu New Business Conference in December 2016, with Mizuho Bank in November 2018, and The University of Tokyo in July 2019, respectively. In addition, its Young Entrepreneurs Group also signed an MOU with the Young Entrepreneurs Group of Japan Chamber of Commerce & Industry in August 2017.

Under the dynamic and sagacious leadership of Dr. Jeffrey L.S. Koo, the Club in 2002 started to send missions to visit big business groups and large industrial zones in Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, and Liaoning to tap into the increasingly growing economic prosperity of mainland China.  During a visit to Beijing in 2008, the Club signed an MOU with the Capital Enterprise Association, the city’s largest business organization. Following a successful mission to the 2010 Shanghai World Expo, the Club entered into an MOU with the Shanghai Federation of Economic Organization in 2011. Under Dr. P. K. Chiang’s chairmanship, the Club signed an MOU with the China Enterprise Confederation in Taipei in December 2012. In addition, the Club signed an MOU with Zhejiang Federation of Industry and Commerce in Wenzhou City in June 2013 . The Club also signed the Strategic Partnership Framework Agreement in Taipei with Eco-Forum Global of Guaychou Province and an MOU with Min-Tai Economic Cooperation Committee in November 2014.

 

MEMBERSHIP CRITERIA

1.Criteria for Regular Members

• Top 100 domestic business conglomerates ranked by China Credit Information Services Ltd.；
• Business Conglomerates with a solid and sound financial structure；
• Enthusiastically and proactively involved in promoting international economic affairs。

Business conglomerates that meet the aforementioned requirements may apply for admission as regular member and shall be formally admitted as such after official approval by the Club’s Board of Directors Meeting and upon full payment of membership dues.

Each regular member shall appoint two senior executives who are currently holding or previously held the position as or above President or CEO to act as representatives.

2.Criteria for Sponsor Members

a. Enterprises or individuals meeting any of the following requirements:

• Domestic enterprises listed on TSEC or GTSM；
• Enterprises engaged in industries targeted and supported by the government for priority development；
• Reputable foreign enterprises officially registered in Taiwan；
• Other enterprises or individuals deemed as beneficial to the development of the Club and approved by the Board of Directors；

b. Enterprises with a solid and sound financial structure：

Enterprises or individuals that meet the foregoing two criteria may apply for admission as sponsor member through the recommendation of two Club members and shall be formally admitted as such after official approval by the Club’s Board of Directors Meeting and upon full payment of membership dues.

Each sponsor member shall appoint a senior executive who is currently holding the position of at least President or CEO to act as representative.