THE Commonwealth of World Chinatowns (CWC) Conference 2025 opened with a cultural flourish as delegates and guests gathered at Jen Hotel for a dinner that combined heritage, performance, and the launch of a new media platform, New Asia Currents (NAC) last night.
The highlight of the evening was A Musical Journey through the Highlights of The Life of Emily of Emerald Hill, presented by Serendip Musicals from Singapore.
Playwright Stella Kon, together with Desmond Moey and their team, reintroduced the audience to the Peranakan matriarch Emily Gan, one of Southeast Asia’s most enduring stage characters.
The guest of honour was Tan Sri Datuk Dr Ong Tee Keat, who is the former Minister of Transport, who joined other distinguished guests that included Datuk Dr Ooi Kee Beng, and Japan’s deputy consul Kuroe Kosuke.
The evening drew together cultural figures, diplomats, business leaders and members of the global Chinese diaspora in what organisers described as a symbolic convergence of art, identity and dialogue.
Alongside the performance, the event marked the official launch of New Asia Currents, a regional media initiative established as the official media platform of the Commonwealth of World Chinatowns.
NAC also runs NAC PostScript and NAC Focus.
Editor Sebastian Lim said the platform was created to amplify Asian perspectives in a global media environment still heavily shaped by Western narratives.
“Our mission is news by Asia, for Asia and the world,” he told those present.
“We want to give voice to issues that matter to everyday people while ensuring that content remains independent and accessible,” Lim said.
He also stressed that NAC was built to be self-sustaining, supported by advertisers, partners and collaborators, allowing it to maintain independence while nurturing new writers.
Its first venture, the Zheng He Focus, is supported by Sulia Chan of the Zheng He Society of New York, Dr Sheng-wei Wang of the China-U.S. Friendship Exchange Inc., and Ian Hudson of the 1421 Foundation.
With a small but experienced editorial team, NAC plans to cover themes ranging from sustainability, heritage and cultural identity to technology and digital innovation.
Lim described it as a space where Asian voices can speak out “thoughtfully and responsibly” on the issues shaping the region today and tomorrow.
The dinner also set a platform for the CWC Conference that organisers said would combine cultural heritage with forward-looking discussions on business, media and the global role of Chinatowns.
Story by Edmund Lee