The inauguration ceremony for the 13th board of the Hong Kong Chiu Chow Chamber of Commerce was held on Monday (30th), with Chief Executive John Lee attending and giving a speech. He greeted the audience in Teochew: “We are ‘one of us’. With our hearts united and hands joined, we will surely achieve great things.”
He stated that Hong Kong has deep ties with the Chaoshan region, with over 1.2 million Hong Kong residents of Chiu Chow descent—meaning that nearly one in every six people in Hong Kong has roots in Chaoshan. At the same time, Chiu Chow people are spread all over the world, especially in Southeast Asia and countries along the Belt and Road Initiative. He hopes the Chamber will make good use of its network to help enterprises explore emerging markets and tell the story of China and Hong Kong well.
John Lee pointed out that Chiu Chow merchants rooted in Hong Kong are known for their keen business sense and integrity, and have made their mark from trading companies, rice businesses, and plastics industry, to finance, real estate, logistics, technology, and other sectors; they are an important force driving the prosperity of Hong Kong’s industry and commerce.
He mentioned that this year marks the first year of the country's ‘15th Five-Year Plan’. The first five-year plan for Hong Kong will provide clear guidance for economic and livelihood development. He believes the Chamber will further work hand in hand with the SAR government, unite forces from all sectors, proactively align with national strategies, and together draw a beautiful blueprint for Hong Kong’s future, further promoting Hong Kong’s integration into and service of the country’s overall development.