Policy Forum on Global Chaozhou People and the Belt and Road Initiative:
Education, Finance, Cultural Heritage, Family Offices, and Hong Kong

20 December 2024   |   Cho Yiu Conference Hall, CUHK

Welcoming Speeches

Mr. Michael Wong
Acting Financial Secretary, HKSAR government

Prof. Anthony Y. H. Fung
Director, HKIAPS, CUHK
Dean of Social Science, CUHK

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

Keynote Speeches

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 Office, Invest Hong Kong, HKSAR government

Thematic Speech(1):
Chaozhou People and Education Supremo

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. 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

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

Moderators

Prof. Yuen-sang Leung
Former Dean of Arts, CUHK

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

Organizer
Policy Research @ HKIAPS

Comissioner
Hong Kong Chiu Chow Chamber of Commerce

Supported by
Federation of Hong Kong Shantou Community Organizations

The Belt and Road Initiative proposed by the Central People’s Government has reached its 10th anniversary, with an increasing number of countries and organizations joining the initiative. Scattered across the world, Chaozhou people have been continuously supporting the initiative, making contributions on various levels. At this important juncture, the Policy Forum on Global Chaozhou People and the Belt and Road Initiative: Education, Finance, Cultural Heritage, Family Offices, and Hong Kong was held on 20 December 2024 at CUHK. The forum was organized by the Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies, co-organized by the Hong Kong Chiu Chow Chamber of Commerce, and supported by the Federation of Hong Kong Shantou Community Organizations. This forum is a continuation of the Policy Forum on Global Chaozhou People and the Belt and Road Initiative held in 2023 and included an on-site exhibition introducing “Qiaopi”. The forum attracted over 100 scholars and members of the public from mainland China and Hong Kong studying Chaozhou culture, with nearly 200 people watching the live broadcast online.

The distinguished guests officiating at the opening ceremony of the forum included 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; as well as hometown leaders from Chaozhou and Jieyang. Several prominent descendants of the Chaozhou community were also invited to attend the forum, including Ms Angeline Yiu.

In the morning, Prof. Hamashita Takeshi, Professor Emeritus, The University of Tokyo, Japan and Mrs Stella Lau, Headmistress of the Diocesan Girls’ School, delivered keynote speeches at the conference. Prof. Hamashita discussed the Chaozhou people’s financial operating system and the merchants’ network from 1890 to 1950. Mrs Lau used the Diocesan Girls’ School as an example to elaborate on the relationship and development between secondary education and the Chaozhou community.

In addition to the keynote speeches, the forum featured thematic speeches and roundtable sessions, with a total of 12 experts invited to share their insights and discuss topics such as prominent Chaozhou figures in the fields of education and finance, cultural heritage and Hong Kong, and family offices and Hong Kong. Prof. Kam-keung Lee, Emeritus Professor of History at Hong Kong Baptist University, shared the entrepreneurial and educational journey of Lam Chi-fung, a shining example of Chaozhou merchants. Prof. Hwei Shing Cheng, Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Chinese Studies, CUHK, elaborated on the academic path of Prof. Jao Tsung-i. Dr Teng Phee Tan, Chief Researcher at the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, detailed Dr Rayson Huang’s significant contributions to university education in Hong Kong and Singapore. Prof. Pui-tak Lee, distinguished Professor at the Research Institute of Global Chinese and Area Studies at Huaqiao University, explained how Tieru Zheng pioneered finance in Hong Kong. Prof. Qi Liao, Deputy Chairperson of the Guangdong Provincial Writers Association, recounted Shih-ping Chuang’s efforts in founding and leading the Nanyang Commercial Bank. Prof. Chi-pang Lau, Associate Vice President and Director of Institutional Advancement and Public Affairs at Lingnan University, described how Sophonpanich Chin led and developed Bangkok Bank.

In the afternoon, a keynote speech was delivered by Mr Jason C. K. Fong, Global Head of Family Offices at Invest Hong Kong of the HKSAR government. He shared insights on how cultural heritage, family offices, and overseas Chinese are closely interconnected.

Following this, two roundtable sessions were held, discussing from both academic and policy perspectives on the relationship between cultural heritage, family offices, and Hong Kong. The sections included contributions from Prof. Chak Yan Chang, Former Department Head and Professor at CUHK; Dr Jane Lee, President of the Our Hong Kong Foundation; Dr Zhou Fang, Research Director of the One Country Two Systems Research Institute; Dr Wendy Hong, Legislative Council member of the HKSAR government; and Prof. Kevin Y. F. Au, Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Family Business at CUHK. ■