“As a Chinese, we have to do something for the motherland.” Tsang Hin-chi, the Chamber’s Life Honorary Chairman, is always concerned about the motherland. Influenced by his father’s words and deeds, his son Ricky Tsang Chi-ming, the Chamber’s Vice-chairman, always bear in mind serving the country. Though from different eras, both father and son share the same dedication and patriotism towards the motherland and Hong Kong.
Tsang Hin-chi recalled that when his family was very poor in his younger days, he was fortunate to have the country providing him with education and helping him advance his career, which eventually enabled him to open up a new horizon in Hong Kong. On the day when he left his hometown, he felt indebted to the country, so he resolved to pay the motherland back after achieving success. Since then, he had honoured his commitments by setting up the Tsang Hin-chi Education Foundation, Tsang Hin-chi Sports Foundation and Tsang Hin-chi Manned Aerospace Foundation to promote the country’s development. Every time when natural disasters hit, he would make generous donations to help the victims. For instance, he donated HKD20 million for disaster relief in response to the Wenchuan Earthquake in 2008. Tsang said movingly: “What I have achieved today is all due to the motherland. My knowledge, education and ideals are given by the country. Therefore, I must unconditionally pay the motherland back.”
Taking the lead to support reform and opening up
Tsang Hin-chi served as the Chamber’s chairman for three terms. Adhering to the ideals of former Chairman Henry Fok, he dedicated himself to support the country’s reform and opening up in both his official and private capacity. In 1985, he took the lead in investing and setting up factories in the Mainland. In his hometown Meixian, he set up China Silverlion through a joint venture to promote the development of private enterprises. Tsang also gave unremitting support to the Canton Fair. Over the past three decades or so, he had attended more than 60 sessions of the Canton Fair. In 2006, at the Celebration Ceremony of the 100th session of the Canton Fair, he was awarded the Certificate of Distinction in high recognition of his contribution.
As the Chamber’s Chairman, Tsang repeatedly led delegations to the Mainland, travelling across the vast land of China to help members invest and set up businesses in the Mainland. As early as in early 1980’s, the Chamber launched the Hong Kong Industry and Commerce Training Program to train business talents for the country. Through conversations and discussions with the trainees, Tsang, who has served as the head of the training committee, shared his experience in setting up businesses and paying back the motherland.
Sincere friendship in the Chamber
As the Chamber is an unwavering and unequivocal patriotic chamber of commerce, Tsang has high expectations for its new generation: “Joining the Chamber is not just a verbal commitment. One must also put in sincere efforts to advance the Chamber’s commitments.” When serving as the Chamber’s chairman, Tsang initiated a regulation to require office bearers and committee members to sponsor the Chamber’s expenses so that it will have abundant resources for development. Commending that “the Chamber’s chairmen are getting better each year”, Tsang is convinced that it will continue to grow stronger and bigger. He looks forward to the Chamber further exerting its influence by making the best use of its good reputation in the Mainland’s provinces and cities to strengthen ties among Chinese entrepreneurs across the world.
As time went by, being a member of the Chamber over the past several decades, Tsang said that he is filled with thankfulness and gratitude to the Chamber, especially former Chairman Henry Fok’s trust in appointing him as a Standing Vice-chairman to work together with him. He particularly mentioned his deep friendship with the Secretariat, because he felt that the Chamber’s success is not only due to the leadership of its chairmen, but also the support of the Secretariat. Therefore, he always invites his Secretariat colleagues to his home to enjoy his hometown cuisine every year.
Passing on a father’s love for the country
Tsang Hin-chi has also passed on his love for the country to the next generation. He wants his son to “love the country, love Hong Kong, and love the hometown”, and “after starting his career in the society, he must learn from everyone. Even if he has developed his competence, he must still respect others and treat others as better than himself, and people will naturally be glad to help.”
Through his father, Ricky Tsang started to participate in business and charitable activities as early as in 1993 when he followed his father to make a study visit to Peking University. In 2001, he represented his father to send relief supplies to the victims in Hami, Xinjiang; and in 2003, he accompanied his father to give awards to the Aerospace Science and Technology delegation visiting Hong Kong. While witnessing the country’s development, Ricky realized that politics and economics must be complementary with each other in any society. At the same time, because of his father’s experience, he shares the same idea. “Being indebted to others, he naturally wants to give something back when he has the ability to do so.”
With money left over after meeting the necessities of life, Ricky is glad to participate in philanthropy. In 1993, he helped build Project Hope primary schools in the Mainland, and in 2007, he succeeded his father to become the chairman of the three foundations. Among the community services, he attaches particular importance to education: “Social development needs talents. Education is not only about transferring knowledge. More importantly, it instils traditional moral values. With these values as the foundation of Chinese culture, people will contribute to the society when they become successful in the future.” Therefore, he believes national education is a necessity, as the current disputes in Hong Kong stemmed from a lack of understanding of the country and history.
As a member of the Chamber new generation, Ricky is proud to be a part of the Chamber. He admitted that the importance that successive leaders of our country have attached to the Chamber is all because of its active promotion of the country’s development under the premise of national interests, since its establishment more than a century ago. “The Chamber’s past chairmen had contributed much. Their commitment and selflessness to the Chamber are also an example for me to follow.”
Setting up think-tank to solicit opinions
Ricky set up Proactive Think Tank Limited in May this year. “I want to conduct studies on economic and cultural exchanges between the Mainland and Hong Kong in order to help integration between the people of both places. Hong Kong has a solid foundation. Even when faced with demonstrations, marches or riots, it can still basically keep in good shape. However, strained executive-legislative relations are hindering the Government from doing its job effectively. Through research, I want to understand the youth, social and livelihood issues, and offer suggestions to the Government.”
Tsang Hin-chi, who is the honorary chairman of the think-tank, supports his son’s decision: “When I heard about Ricky’s plan, I said, since the society needs you, you go for it; I will support you!” Tsang Hin-chi had served in the NPC Standing Committee: “Focusing on the national policies for Hong Kong, I gathered the views of different sectors, and forwarded them and made recommendations to the Central Government, but there was one thing that I always stood firm on – love the country, love Hong Kong.”
The young researchers at Proactive Think Tank Limited are between 18 and 35 years of age. As they are all born and raised in Hong Kong, their research work is not only professional and objective, but more importantly, also close to the ground. Recently, Ricky led a team to collaborate with the Institute of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao Development Studies at Sun Yat-sen University to conduct research on youth issues in the two places. The findings are expected to be published later this year.
Realizing the China Dream
Tsang Hin-chi hopes that the motherland can surpass the United States someday and achieve the China Dream of great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Ricky pointed out that the rapid development of the country is unprecedented. In the international arena, China has always advocated a co-development approach, which gives rise to the “One Belt and One Road” initiative to achieve peaceful development. Although Tsang Hin-chi and his son Ricky are from two different eras, they embrace the same China Dream for the future.
