Chinese professionals working in the United States celebrate the Chinese New Year together to build networks. [Kelly Chung Dawson/China Daily]

NEW YORK - As all of China celebrates the lunar new year, overseas Chinese and Chinese Americans have fashioned their own version of the holiday far from home.

Here in New York, a group of 19 Chinese university alumni associations hosted the fourth annual Chinese New Year Winter Ball, a celebration of Chinese heritage that for many overseas Chinese also provided an opportunity to network.

"As Chinese people in America, networking is so important," said Gary Guo, vice-president of the Fudan University Alumni Association. "Right now we're seeing more and more Chinese on both Wall Street and 'Main Street'. Knowing each other, we can really help each other."

Hosted at the Prince George Ballroom in Manhattan, the event featured dancing, music and performances by Chinese singers and musicians. Among the universities represented were Fudan University, Shanghai Medical University, Renmin University of China and Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

Other Chinese and Asian professional organizations also feted the new year with formal banquets attended by professionals of both Eastern and Western descent, including the Asian American Bar Association and the Chinese Business Lawyers Association.

"There are more and more companies doing business directly or indirectly with China now," said Savio Chen, president of the US Pan-Asian American Chamber of Commerce, North East Region. "Americans are more curious about the holiday and Chinese people want to celebrate because they're proud to be Chinese in America."

While most overseas Chinese businesspeople celebrate in a more intimate fashion with their families, many view formal banquet parties as an opportunity to network and build connections, said Yang Chen, executive director of the Asian American Bar Association of New York.

"The value of celebrating together is tremendous," Yang said. "We try to instill in our members the need to network. It helps you develop professionally, and it's really just another thing that helps Asian Americans advance in the professions."

Knowing other Chinese businesspeople is a form of building a fraternal network that can be helpful when seeking advice or in career advancement, Yang said.

"You don't have to join an organization to make connections, but it definitely makes it easier," Yang said. "In the last 20 years, more Asian Americans have stepped up and taken leadership roles in the US, and it's created a path for other Asian professionals. If I wanted to move into another law firm, and there was someone Asian in a high position, I would feel that in joining that firm my needs and my background would be respected."

The Asian American Bar Association's banquet featured speeches by successful lawyers and trailblazers.

"Networking and building relationships with other professionals is so important for career advancement and development," said Charlie Peng, a vice-president at Bank of America Merrill Lynch and an organizer of the Chinese Universities Alumni Associations' Winter Ball. "But it's also about our Chinese heritage, and keeping that connection among old and new friends."

Meng Ru, another organizer of the Winter Ball, said that the economic recession made networking among Chinese connections in the US all the more important.

"You have to use your networking connections to survive," she said. "Because of existing connections, you're not dealing with complete strangers. You can share resources."

Zhang Xiaoyan, co-founder and director of the Chinese Business Lawyers' Association, said that she has noticed a move from informal celebration of the new year to larger, more official celebrations by business organizations in recent years. She also pointed to growing numbers of non-Chinese professionals in attendance at Chinese holiday parties, she said.

"A significant number of attendees at our event this year were not Chinese," she said. "They're very interested, curious and enthusiastic about getting together to be part of the celebration. It could be personal interest, professional interest, and the consequence of increased professional interactions between Chinese and American communities. It's an unavoidable fact that China is a focus in the world of business."

Catherine Pan, an attorney who attended the event, said that above all, networking can be useful for sharing knowledge.

"Building networks is important for information exchange, not just for career but for cultural reasons," she said. "As overseas Chinese, we should be united in helping each other succeed."

China Daily