致謝詞

Mr. Pro-Chancellor, Council Chairman, Vice-Chancellor, Fellow Honorary Graduates, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is an immense honor for me to be invited to give this speech on behalf of Professor Gang Chen, Professor Arthur Li and myself. We are deeply honored for the conferment of honorary doctorates on us at this 216th Congregation of the University of Hong Kong.

We thank the Pro-Chancellor and Court for hosting this Ceremony and inviting our families, friends and the University community to witness these proceedings.

We would also like to take this opportunity to thank the HKU Honorary Degrees Committee and the Council Chairman for supporting the nomination and selection of three outstanding young persons to receive the University’s highest honor today.

Thank you to the public orator Professor Derek Collins for drafting and delivering the citations, and all who have worked hard to organize this Ceremony.

What a year it has been for the University of Hong Kong. It is exciting to see the University setting new records globally and regionally. Dividends of this collective success are surely to be immediately enjoyed by graduating students and the University community. Of course, the three of us are delighted to share in this auspicious period in the University’s history. We wish the University every success and continued innovation.

My fellow honorary graduates include Professor Gang Chen, a top-rated scientist, nanotechnologist and educator; and Professor Arthur Li, a well-respected medical doctor and educator, prominent member of Hong Kong society, and a significant contributor to the Hong Kong education sector. Both men have made tremendous impact and contributions in their fields of work. They have set examples for all of us to admire and follow. I, on the other hand, grew up loving Maths and Chemistry. My background is in actuarial science, insurance and the commercial sector.

Between the three of us, it is easy to see we share logic and reasoning in our backgrounds. From our citations, you can further see we share a dedication to educational work, public service and a sense of responsibility to contribute to society.

I met Professor Chen for the first time last night at dinner. To better prepare for today’s speech, I rely on our Vice-Chancellor’s personal account of Professor Chen and my research on the internet. It is through this research that I found another common thread between the three of us.

As you may know, in the past five years, geopolitics and controversy found its way onto American campuses where Chinese researchers work. Despite these personal and professional challenges, Professor Chen showed personal integrity and steadfast dedication to his work.

Professor Arthur Li and I, in similar fashion, faced geopolitics and controversy. We worked together in the University of Hong Kong Council and shared one of the most memorable periods in our lives. For those in Hong Kong, you will remember this as a turbulent period in the University’s recent history. Under Professor Li’s leadership as then-Council Chairman, we worked tirelessly to return stability and decency to the University campus.

Sometimes, we find controversy and challenges in places we least expect. As leaders involved in education, we do our best to create a positive and stable environment for students, educators and researchers to flourish.

Finally, we thank our families and friends for supporting us. If I may, I would like to recognize a few people in the audience: my life-long mentor Professor C K Poon who taught me Chemistry at HKU; Chairman of the HKU Foundation Professor Lap-Chee Tsui who inspired me on my philanthropic journey; and my most supportive partner, my wife Wendy.