ICCIC NEWS
70th Anniversary Celebration of the ICCIC
The "70th Anniversary Celebration of the ICCIC" was held in Beijing
The "70th Anniversary Celebration of the ICCIC" was held in the Meeting Hall of the Former Residence of Soong Ching Ling in Beijing on June 29.
ICCIC stands for the International Committee for the Promotion of Chinese Industrial Cooperatives or the Gung Ho International Committee.
Michael Crook, Vice-Chair of the ICCIC, delivered an opening speech at the ceremony. He welcomed all the distinguished guests and gave a brief historical retrospective of the organization. He said he looked forward to a new era of the ICCIC with a mission of furthering the establishment and development of cooperatives in China.
The attendees included Karen Carlson Loving, granddaughter of Lt. Col. Evans Carlson of the U.S. Marine Corps and some members of Carlson's Raiders. Carlson was a military attaché at the U.S. embassy in China in the late 1930s. He chose "Gung Ho" as the motto for his elite battalion. By late 1942, it was widely adopted throughout the Marine Corps as an expression of spirit and a "can do" attitude.
During the ceremony, all the guests joined a chorus in singing the National Anthem of the People's Republic of China, and guests from the United States sang the "The Marine Corps Hymn."
Also at the ceremony, Carlson's Raiders were presented with a silk banner for their dedication to spread the Gung Ho spirit and motto "Work Hard and Work Together."
Carl Worker, New Zealand's Ambassador to China; Isabel Crook, a consultant for the ICCIC; Tang Wensheng, Vice-chair of the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation; and Xie Yuan, Director of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, attended the celebration ceremony.
Background: The History of the ICCIC
The Gung Ho movement was started in 1937 in Shanghai by Rewi Alley of New Zealand and some other foreigners together with a group of Chinese patriots. To win support from abroad, collect funds for development and ensure the proper use of foreign aid, the International Committee for the Promotion of Chinese Industrial Cooperatives (ICCIC) was founded in Hong Kong in January 1939. It is an international nongovernmental organization that aims to promote Chinese industrial cooperatives. Soong Ching Ling was elected as honorary chairperson. The work of the committee soon won support among the overseas Chinese and people worldwide.
It suspended its work in 1952 and revived it in 1987. Since that year, the ICCIC has supported a large number of cooperatives in different provinces in China for cooperative principle training, environment improvement and poverty alleviation.
The success of ICCIC's projects has strengthened its ties with other cooperative organizations at home and abroad.
Speech in Celebration of the 70th Anniversary
of the Establishment of ICCIC
Tang Wensheng
Vice-Chair of China Soong Ching Ling Foundation
June 29, 2009
Dear friends,
It is my honor and pleasure to extend on behalf of the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation our sincere congratulations to all Gungho people on the 70th anniversary of the founding of the International Committee for the Promotion of Chinese Industrial Cooperatives. In its 70 years, Gung Ho has played a significant role in supporting the war of resistance against Japanese aggression, in promoting friendship between the Chinese people and people of other countries and in building a new countryside. Its outstanding contributions will be remembered by generation after generation.
Madame Soong Ching Ling staunchly supported the International Committee for the Promotion of Chinese Industrial Cooperatives when it was set up in Hong Kong 70 years ago and became its honorary chairperson. As Rewi Alley put it, when foreign friends saw the name of Soong Ching Ling, they would feel that it could be trusted. Soong Ching Ling herself pointed out in a speech broadcast over Hong Kong’s radio station ZBW on December 10, 1939, that the significance of the Chinese Industrial Cooperatives was demonstrated not only in what they did to rebuild society, but furthermore in what they did to improve the economy. She felt that when you looked at it from the social and economic point of view, the “Indusco” units were invaluable. She moreover pointed out when she was visiting the Chengdu office of Gung Ho with her two sisters in late April 1940 that the industrial cooperative movement was precisely practicing the democracy the Dr. Sun Yatsen had advocated, on the one hand seeking to improve the people’s life, on the other seeking to increase the country’s economic strength. She expressed the hope that the issue of democracy would be studied more closely so that Dr. Sun Yatsen’s testament could be universally applied. She wrote many letters to her friends abroad, mentioning the importance of the industrial cooperative movement and calling upon them to support it. She combined the work of the China Defense League and that of Gung Ho, raising funds and material support for the resistance against Japanese aggression. In late 1939, she entrusted the northwestern Gung Ho to have textile and garment cooperatives in Baoji and Xi’an work day and night to have 100 thousand pieces of padded clothing ready to be packaged and shipped to the Eighth Route Army Office in Xi’an.
In May 1941, she launched the “Bowl of Rice Campaign” in Hong Kong, which she held to have a far-reaching effect, because it is to help the Chinese Industrial Cooperatives to organize the refugees and the wounded for strengthening the economy, for production to save the country and help the people to help themselves. This is the most effective form of relief. The Campaign raised 22,144HKD and 615 Chinese dollars. The Hong Kong branch of British United Aid to China made it a round sum of 250,000HKD, which was donated entirely to the International Committee for the Promotion of Chinese Industrial Cooperatives to be used in relief for the refugees in China’s northwest regions. On November 11 of that same year, the Chins Defense League and Gung Ho jointly organized an activity in Hong Kong that included a display of pictures and literature on the industrial cooperatives’ products and how they organized production to save themselves. The activity raised another 20,000HKD.
The wartime Gung Ho that was born of and thrived on the heart’s blood of those like Soong Ching Ling, Rewi Alley, Edgar Snow and Chen Hansheng, organized people in production to save themselves, building line upon line of support for the war effort. The Gung Ho today has kept alive not only the organization, but moreover the spirit of Gung Ho to “work hard, work together”. Moving forward with the times, it has absorbed new blood, new ideas and is combining the efforts of friends in many countries to work hard to achieve new goals.
We are sure to see Gung Ho make further contributions to China’s economic and social progress.
Thank you.
Speech by Deputy Director Xie Yuan on the ICCIC 70th Anniversary
June 29, 2009
Vice Chair Yuan Peng, Michael Crook,
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I am very pleased to join you in the celebration of the 70th Anniversary of the ICCIC. On behalf of the People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, I hereby extend my most sincere congratulations to all workers, experts, scholars and people from all walks of life who are enthusiastic in the course of Chinese cooperatives!
The ICCIC has a brilliant history. In 1937, the nation-wide Anti-Japanese War broke out. Foreign friends such as Mr. Rewi Alley and Edgar Snow worked together with patriots in Shanghai in establishing the Chinese Industrial Co-operative Movement. In order to gain overseas assistance and to raise funds for the development of the industrial cooperatives, the ICCIC was established in Hong Kong in June 1939, with Soong Ching Ling being the Honorary Chair. The work of the ICCIC won the enthusiastic support by just people in various countries and patriotic overseas Chinese who were sympathetic for the Chinese war against Japanese invasion, and have collected donations in cash and material at a worth of up to US$10 million. ICCIC has made significant contributions to the promotion of ICCIC course in China, to the support of Chinese people’s war against Japanese invasion and to the friendship between Chinese people and people from other nations, and was highly praised by Chinese revolution leaders such as Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai and Ye Ting. The union and dedication spirit of the ICCIC was widely spread in the world and the word “Gungho” (ICCIC) has become an English word representing union and dedication spirit.
More than two decades ago, the reform and opening-up policy revitalized the Chinese nation. The ICCIC reorganized its committee in September 1987 in Beijing and actively searched out for a new paths of developing the ICCIC course in China. Guided by the spirit of “Devotion, Diligence, Innovation and Cooperation” advocated by its former chairman Mr. Rewi Alley, the ICCIC kept innovating its thinking, strengthened its organizational construction, developed its cooperation networks at home and abroad and endeavored to carve out a new chapter in the ICCIC development, and have made significant contributions to the promotion of coordinated development of social economy, the common benefit of people and to the promotion of common wealth and social harmony.
For many years, the People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries has maintained strong and sincere friendship with the ICCIC. Both organizations have worked together and supported each other in strengthening understanding and exchange, winning international assistance, introducing foreign advanced experience and technology and supporting the construction of socialism modernization in China. As the reform and opening-up policy is deepened day by day now, we wish to work with the ICCIC to seize the opportunities to achieve sustainable social and economic development and to construct a socialism harmonious society with Chinese characteristics, and to spare no efforts in these courses. Along with the growth of the People’s Republic of China, the ICCIC has witness a great era. We wish that it will continue with the past and open up the future and create resplendence in the new Century!
Thank you!
70th Anniversary of ICCIC Speech
Isabel Crook
June 29, 2009
Dear Friends,
I am going to say a few words about ICCIC’s revival and the challenges we faced in those early years, especially the dozen years when I was a member of the executive.
The reason for ICCIC’s revival was tied to an earlier event. With the Deng Xiaoping reforms, Rewi and others had campaigned for the revival of cooperatives; and in 1983 the government had agreed, and cooperatives began to spread widely. However it soon turned out that little was known about cooperatives, so all too often “cooperative” was no more than a popular label. So in 1987, at the request of Rewi and others, the government agreed that ICCIC should be revived to promote and guide the cooperative movement.
The re-born ICCIC was established with a group of “Old Gung Ho” (both Chinese and foreign) and some retired cooperatives or international friendship. These two groups brought with them knowledge of old Gung Ho, some foreign support, as well as Chinese government support, including funding. Our task was to develop and promote real coops suited to the new conditions of the market economy in China.
Here are some problems we found daunting:
-We were all elderly-how could we attract young activists?
-As a non-government organization how could we wean ourselves from relying on our initial government funding?
-In the vast Chinese countryside where should we begin?
-As outsiders, how could we win the support of local governments?
-How could cooperative property be protected when there is no “cooperative law”?
Over the years we gained rich experience from our successes and failures. We all have memories of vivid events, remarkable people, unexpected turns and valuable lessons. And as a team we experienced the richness of working together: This was our “Gung Ho.”
Today the ICCIC is a self-supporting, grassroots NGO with a young generation of leaders and activists. A new farmers’ cooperative law has come into existence. ICCIC is implementing projects, including in areas struck by the earthquake of 12 May last year, and is able to raise both foreign and Chinese funding.
We old Gung Ho of the first dozen years are proud of the dynamic young organization that took over and is now playing its role in development, especially in China’s countryside.
I wish to thank the China People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries for its support of ICCIC over the years, as well as the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation for providing the beautiful venue for our celebration! Thank you!
Congratulatory Letters
ICCIC 70th Anniversary Celebration
As National President of the New Zealand China Friendship Society, it gives me much pleasure on behalf of all our branches and members, to send our warm greetings on the 70th anniversary celebration of the original establishment of the International Committee for the Promotion of Chinese Industrial Cooperatives in January 1939. We regret that no NZCFS representative is able to be present for this day.
We are immensely proud that one of our Society’s founders, Rewi Alley played a crucial role as field secretary of the Chinese Industrial Co-operative Movement at its formation and in its revival in 1983 followed four years later in 1987 by the revival of the ICCIC just before Rewi’s death.
Our Society is very proud of its membership of ICCIC and ongoing representation on your executive, and wishes you well with the strong continuation of your aims and activities. Our Society’s history is intertwined with that of ICCIC’s especially as our formation dates from 1952, the very year ICCIC and the Gung Ho movement went into recess. This was no doubt as Rewi Alley and others wished to have a structure for the continued support for the People’s Republic of China by New Zealanders.
During my own membership of ICCIC since 1994, I have witnessed the extension and consolidation of the Committee’s activities in line with the growth of the Gung Ho Movement.
We wish all involved in the celebrations the ICCIC, the People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, and the Research Center of China Soong Ching Ling Foundation all the very best in fostering the growth and development of the Gung Ho Movement in the new era.
All the very best
Yours Sincerely
Eric
National President
New Zealand China Friendship Society Inc
Letter of Congratulations from China Industrial Cooperatives Association
June 28, 2009
Dear ICCIC:
On the 70th Anniversary of the ICCIC, the China Industrial Cooperatives Association would like to extend our warmest congratulations to you.
For the last 70 years, the ICCIC has adhered to the international cooperatives principles and worked with China Industrial Cooperatives Association to develop the great Gung Ho Movement, and has made historical contributions to the victory of the Anti-Japanese War and the Liberation War as well as to the construction of the reform and opening-up and modernization construction in China.
Uniting and Working Together. All Gung Ho is a Family. For 70 years, we stood side by side and worked together, and have formed brotherhood partnership and friendship during the development of the ICCIC, and have kept many valuable resources and unforgettable memories.
In the new historical era, let’s unite together around the CPC Central Government led by Secretary General Hu Jintao, inherit the Gung Ho traditions, develop the Gung Ho spirits, advance with times, cooperate with full sincerity and jointly carve out a new chapter in the cooperative course in China!
China Industrial Cooperatives Association
Letter of Congratulations
from Former Executive Member of ICCIC Bill Willmott
Dear Michael,
Please convey my hearty congratulations to all those celebrating the 70th anniversary of the original founding of the International Committee for the Promotion of Chinese Industrial Co-operatives in 1939. So many of you have worked hard and loyally for the co-operative movement over many years.
What a long and glorious history you are celebrating today! The Gung Ho movement, under the leadership of Madam Soong Ching Ling and directed by a group of splendid Chinese and foreign leaders, made a major contribution to the war effort in defeating Japanese imperial aggression during the 1937-45 occupation of eastern China. I am also delighted that my fellow countryman Rewi Alley played a heroic role in that movement, and that late in his life he took the initiative to reassemble the leadership and resurrect the movement to once again contribute to the betterment of Chinese society—and in such different circumstances.
As a former member of the ICCIC executive and a recipient of the Rewi Alley Award for Honorary Promoters and the Gung Ho Award two years ago, I am proud to have been associated with this great movement. Long may it continue to build genuinely democratic co-operatives that will be models for socialist organisation at the grass-roots level in the modern development of China.
With best wishes to all,
Professor Bill Willmott, Friendship Ambassador
Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit
International Day of Cooperatives
Message of the International Co-operative Alliance
87th ICA International Co-operative Day
15th UN International Day of Cooperatives
4 July 2009
“Driving Global Recovery through Co-operative Enterprise”
Co-operatives are more resilient to crisis that other forms of enterprise according to a recent study commissioned to the ICA by the International Labour Office (ILO). Financial cooperatives have remained financially sound; agricultural co-operatives in many parts of the world are showing surpluses; consumer co-operatives are reporting increased turnover; and worker co-operatives are seeing growth. People are increasingly choosing the co-operative form of enterprise to respond to the new economic realities.
Why are co-operative able to survive and indeed thrive in crisis and beyond?
It is the model. Co-operative enterprise is an alternative business model which instead of focusing on profit, focuses on people by aggregating the market power of people while guiding its operations on the basis of the co-operative values and principles.
In many countries and in many sectors around the world, co-operative enterprise is growing in membership, capital and turnover. Co-operatives are contributing in a significant way to maintaining and creating new jobs and thus securing family incomes. They are ensuring that prices stay reasonable and that consumer retail goods, food, and services remain safe, reliable and of a good quality. Co-operative financial institutions have seen a capital influx as consumers recognise the safety and reliability of credit unions, co-operative banks and cooperative insurers who in many cases have also continued to provide credit to individuals and small businesses. By doing so, they are demonstrating that co-operative business is sustainable and that enterprises having ethical values at heart that can be successful and contribute to sustainable economic recovery.
Economists, academia and the international community are desperate for answers on how to stimulate a global recovery, and in doing so are beginning to question the current economic model which has lost the confidence of policy-makers as well as the average person. They are look at regulating markets and financial institutions in particular to ensure a more ethical and transparent operation. In their quest, however, they are also rediscovering and recognising the potential of co-operatives in contributing significantly to a new economic system.
Many governments are now considering the co-operative option in this new economic environment whether it be to stimulate agricultural productivity or to reorganise national social protection systems as seen by the recent debate in the United States reform of the health-care system and the proposal to create health co-operatives. They are also recognizing the contribution that they can make to driving recovery in their countries and so are increasingly encouraging their citizens to look at co-operative enterprise for their finances, to increase their productivity and for their general well-being.
The Co-operative Movement will need to work with policy-makers to ensure that they recognise the particular nature of co-operatives. They should not be over-regulated, and their essentially risk-averse nature should be understood. A consistent and well articulated policy response is crucial to ensure that they are not disadvantaged by changes in the regulatory environment. Only with appropriate policies will co-operatives continue to be able to drive global recovery.
Although some analysts are saying the worst is over for the global economy and a recovery is likely to begin later this year, the recession is and will impact all enterprises. Many cooperatives will be tempted to focus on survival at any cost – even foregoing their co-operative nature, but there is mounting evidence to demonstrate that putting co-operative values and principles in practice may be the deciding factor for long-term sustainability. Now is the time to stress the co-operative nature.
The co-operative movement faces an unparalleled opportunity. It must rise to the challenge to demonstrate that the co-operative model of enterprise is an alternative business model that is the better business model for the future. Co-operatives are demonstrating that they not only drive economic development, but also economic and political democracy and social responsibility. Co-operatives offer a fairer way of doing business where social and environmental values count not as something you do if you can afford to do so, but that simply are the part of the way you do business.
On this International Day of Co-operatives, the ICA calls on co-operators throughout the world to strengthen their commitments to their co-operative values and principles, celebrate their success in these difficult times, and work in partnership to ensure that they continue driving global recovery around the world.
ICA is an independent, non-governmental association which unites, represents and serves co-operatives
worldwide. Founded in 1895, ICA has 222 member organisations from 85 countries active in all sectors of the
economy. Together these co-operatives represent more than 800 million individuals worldwide.
