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Saturday, March 03, 2018, 14:09
Exclusive interview with Lui Che-woo: Young people 'HK's most valuable asset'
By Willa Wu
Saturday, March 03, 2018, 14:09 By Willa Wu

Philanthropist Lui urges youth to play active role in city’s development. Willa Wu reports.

                                   

Hong Kong’s future depends heavily on its young people, who are the city’s “most valuable asset”, property magnate Lui Che-woo said in an exclusive interview with China Daily.

Lui, 88, described the city’s youth as “learned, energetic and hard-working”. Born in Jiangmen, Guangdong province and having built up his property empire K Wah Group from scratch, Lui — the third richest man in Hong Kong — appealed to the young to play an active role in the city’s affairs and serve society. 

“Hong Kong’s future will be built brick by brick by the young. I will support them as much as I can,” the billionaire said.

Besides being K Wah’s chairman, Lui is widely recognized as a long-term philanthropist who stands by his belief that “education engenders a strong country”.

Cultivating young people is the most commendable cause in the world, Lui said.

He emphasized the importance of national education, which covers Chinese history and culture dating back thousands of years, as well as the country’s progress and development plans and policies in contemporary times.

Lui is widely recognized as a long-term philanthropist who stands by his belief that “education engenders a strong country”. (ROY LIU / CHINA DAILY)

Such an education would give young people a better picture of who they are, where they are from and where they will head to, explained Lui.

VIDEO: Exclusive interview with Lui Che-woo, Part II: “I see the prize as a seed”

In sharing his experiences with the city’s young people, Lui also revealed how he coped with pressure and frustration.

“Every time when you feel you are under pressure, think of, or even go out and do things that make you happy. Don’t indulge yourself in the stress,” said Lui, who is often spotted wearing a big smile.               

“Integration” is a new buzz word for Hong Kong as the special administrative region actively seeks to link its development with that of the country. Lui, whose business expands across the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong SAR, Macao SAR, Southeast Asia and the United States, said integration means mutual understanding and tolerance.

Hong Kong and the mainland each have their own advantages and should be humble. They should learn from and supplement each other, Lui said.

After all, more understanding and tolerance is the key to mutual development, Lui concluded.

Hong Kong's renowned billionaire and philanthropist Lui Che-woo couldn’t help tearing when talking about the country's early torments and ordeals in wartime during an exclusive interview with China Daily. (EDMOND TANG CHINA DAILY)

Most of his charitable work is in education, the environment, arts and culture, medical care and innovative technology on the mainland, Hong Kong, Macao and the US.

In 2015, Lui took philanthropy one step further by setting up the Lui Che Woo Prize — Prize for World Civilization, recognizing people or organizations that have made remarkable contributions to the welfare of mankind, and encouraging them to persevere with their efforts in the same direction.

So far six laureates have received the prize, winning a total of HK$120 million. Winners include the “father of hybrid rice” Yuan Longping and China’s special representative on climate change Xie Zhenhua.

Lui believes Hong Kong’s future will be built brick by brick by the young. (EDMOND TANG / CHINA DAILY)

Lui Che-woo’s take on…

The Belt and Road Initiative

The initiative has diversified the concept of the ancient Silk Road, expanding it from “a route to the West” to “the passage connecting China with the world”. It will become one of China’s greatest achievements in the future.

The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area

The plan will yield remarkable fruit as the Greater Bay Area has great natural resources while Hong Kong is an international city which enjoys advantages and is robustly competitive in the global economy. Now in its infancy, the bay area needs timely study on how to tear down barriers and achieve real integration among all cities within the area.

Hong Kong's renowned billionaire and philanthropist Lui Che-woo receives an exclusive interview with China Daily. (EDMOND TANG / CHINA DAILY)

High-speed train

I have taken high-speed trains in Japan, France, Germany and China. To me, those run in foreign lands are no match for those in China, where these high-speed trains are fast, convenient and comfortable. Now the country is bringing such technology overseas, showing that China’s high-speed train is very competitive.

The motherland

China is on a good track. It becomes stronger and stronger. It develops in an open, inclusive way that benefits everyone.

In future, I hope more comprehensive efforts would be put into the prevention and control of water pollution, especially in improving river basins and offshore areas.

Lui usually wears a trademark soft cap, of which he has quite a collection. (EDMOND TANG / CHINA DAILY)

Lui Che-woo profile

Date of birth: Aug 9, 1929

Birthplace: Jiangmen, Guangdong province (settled in Hong Kong in 1933)

Founded K Wah Co in 1955, doing business in construction materials, properties, entertainment and leisure and hospitality across the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Macao, Southeast Asia and the United States;

Founded the Lui Che Woo Prize — Prize for World Civilization in 2015, seeking to advance world civilization;

A long-term philanthropist supporting a series of sectors — predominantly education, environment, arts and culture, medical care and innovative technology — on the mainland, Hong Kong, Macao and the US;

Member of the Ninth National Committee of Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (1998-2003)

Member of Election Committee for the First Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region;

Member of the Chief Executive Election Committee (hotel subsector) for the third and the fourth terms of the HKSAR.


Contact the writer at willa@chinaailyhk.com



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