The Chinese Chamber of Commerce was founded in 1904 by businessmen and merchants to promote the wellbeing and success of local Chinese and Asian businesses. In 1932, we registered with New York State under the title: “THE CHINESE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF NEW YORK, INC.”

Although originally focused on business oriented activities since the founding of the Chamber over 75 years ago, the Chamber has changed over time, especially after the end of World War II, witnessing the enormous expansion in social demands, technological breakthroughs, and developments of swift transportation, etc. The Chinese community then felt the change with the repeal of the Magnuson Act/Chinese Exclusion Act in 1943, in which the Chinese immigration gradually increased causing problems in languages, customs, business practices and housings to rise. The Chamber offers its facilities and intimate knowledge of the community to alleviate the pain of change that the immigrants have gone through. The Chinese Chamber of Commerce also offers courses for small businessmen in cooperation with Pace University, works with the medical clinic at Beekman Downtown Hospital, and helps establish new businesses.

To relieve the housing shortage, the Chamber and the Association of Chinatown Housing jointly sponsored the Confucius Plaza project which ultimately provided 762 cooperative apartments, accommodating 3,000 residents. The 48 million dollar housing project was conceived in 1965 under the Mitchell-Lama Program and completed in 1976 at less than estimated cost. It became a phenomenal success and the pride of the Chinese Community.

This Chamber has been dispatching delegates to attend the World Chinese Traders Convention held every other year in different regions. The reports and reviews presented by our delegations on the local trades and related matters were all favorably received and so were suggestions and moves which were, in most cases, duly passed and adopted in various general convocations.

The members of this Chamber are composed of Chinese-Americans and other nationals in different lines of businesses including bankers in the Chinatown area, financial organizations, real estate operators, construction firms, importers and exporters, trading companies, shipping lines, airlines, noodle manufacturers, restaurants, roast and barbeque houses, and meat and poultry firms, as well as professional individuals like lawyers, accountants, architects, contractors, and stock brokers who have long been our permanent members. Every year, there is a campaign for new members in order to increase membership and strengthen the work of the Chamber.