Policy Forum on Global Chaozhou People and the Belt and Road Initiative: Education, Finance, Cultural Heritage, Family Offices, and Hong Kong (全球潮人與一帶一路國際學術政策論壇：
教育、金融、文化傳承及家族辦公室)

20 December 2024   |   Cho Yiu Conference Hall, CUHK & Online

Speakers

Guests of Honour

Mr Michael Wong
Deputy Financial Secretary, HKSAR Government

Mr Jun Zhang
Deputy Director,
Research Department,
Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in Hong Kong

Prof. Anthony Y. H. Fung
Director, Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies

Dr Winnie P. S. Ko
President, the Hong Kong Chiu Chow Chamber of Commerce

Keynote Speeches

Prof. Yuen-sang Leung (Moderator)
Emeritus Professor, Department of History, CUHK

Prof. Takeshi Hamashita
Professor Emeritus, The University of Tokyo, Japan

Mrs Stella Lau
Headmistress, Diocesan Girls’ School

Mr Jason C. K. Fong
Global Head of Family Offices, Invest Hong Kong

Thematic Speech (1): Chaozhou People and Education Supremo

Prof. Yuen-sang Leung (Moderator)
Emeritus Professor, Department of History, CUHK

Prof. Kam-keung Lee
Emeritus Professor, History, Hong Kong Baptist University

Prof. Hwei Shing Cheng
Honorary Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Chinese Studies, CUHK

Dr Teng Phee Tan
Chief Researcher, Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Thematic Speech(2): Chaozhou People and Finance Supremo
Prof. Yuen-sang Leung (Moderator)
Emeritus Professor, Department of History, CUHK

Prof. Pui-tak Lee
Professor, Research Institute of Global Chinese and Area Studies,
Huaqiao University, China

Prof. Qi Liao
Deputy Chairperson,
Guangdong Provincial Writers Association, China

Prof. Chi-pang Lau
Associate Vice President and Director,
Institutional Advancement and Public Affairs, Lingnan University

Roundtable Sessions
Mr Yat-ming Kwok
Vice-President, Hong Kong Federation of Journalists

Prof. Chak Yan Chang
Former Department Head and Professor, CUHK

Dr Jane Lee
President, Our Hong Kong Foundation

Dr Zhou Fang
Research Director, One Country Two Systems Research Institute

Dr Hon Wendy Hong
Legislative Council member, HKSAR government

Prof. Kevin Y. F. Au
Director, Center for Entrepreneurship and Family Business, CUHK

Riding on the success of a policy forum held on 31 May 2023, the Policy Forum on “Global Chaozhou People and the Belt and Road Initiative: Education, Finance, Cultural Heritage, Family Offices, and Hong Kong” was organized to explore the intersection between the Chaozhou community’s global influence and China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The policy forum brought together academics, policymakers, and industry leaders to share the story of Chaozhou elites who achieved great success in the fields of education and finance. Also discussed were the issues of how the Chaozhou community can facilitate cultural exchanges and develop family offices in Hong Kong. The event attracted over 100 scholars and members of the public, with nearly 200 viewers online, and featured an on-site exhibition on “Qiaopi” (overseas Chinese correspondence).

The opening ceremony was officiated by distinguished guests, including Mr Michael Wong, Acting Financial Secretary of the HKSAR government; Mr Jun Zhang, Deputy Director of the Research Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in Hong Kong; Prof. Anthony Y. H. Fung, CUHK Dean of Social Science and HKIAPS Director; Dr Winnie P. S. Ko, President of the Hong Kong Chiu Chow Chamber of Commerce; and leaders from Chaozhou and Jieyang. Prominent Chaozhou descendants, such as Ms Angeline Yiu, also attended.

The forum began with keynote speeches by Prof. Takeshi Hamashita, Professor Emeritus at The University of Tokyo, who explored the Chaozhou financial system and merchant networks from 1890 to 1950, and Mrs Stella Lau, Headmistress of the Diocesan Girls’ School, who discussed the relationship between secondary education and the Chaozhou community. Thematic speeches followed, with six experts sharing insights on Chaozhou personages in the areas of education, finance, cultural heritage, and family offices.

In the afternoon, Mr Jason C. K. Fong, Global Head of Family Offices at Invest Hong Kong, delivered a keynote speech on the interplay between cultural heritage, family offices, and overseas Chinese. The forum concluded with roundtable discussions, featuring contributions from five discussants, who explored the academic and policy implications of cultural heritage and family offices in Hong Kong. The event underscored the Chaozhou community’s vital role in advancing the goals of the BRI and Hong Kong’s strategic position as a global hub.■