Chinese companies are seeking to lease up to almost 5,000 hectares of land in Vientiane Capital to establish durian plantations.
Man Arrested for Murder of Parents in Savannakhet Province
Police have arrested a man for murdering his parents in Savannakhet Province earlier this year.
Match Dating provides unique personalized one-on-one real person verification dating
More than 10 years of professional matchmaking qualifications
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 19 March 2021 – Match Dating, a local professional matching company with more than 10 years of matchmaking experience, is different from traditional dating agency. It provides customers with personalized one-on-one real-person verification dating. It provides a series of professional services, including: a team of experienced makeup artists, image guidance, psychotherapists and love counsellors, etc., to enhance the self-confidence of clients who want to find someone, and to improve the success rate of verification dating. Match Dating has unique and innovative insights into the service industry. Even if it is simply a relationship problem, Match Dating is willing to provide customers with free love consultation services.
According to the Census and Statistics Department’s “Women and Men in Hong Kong-Main Statistics” report, the age of first marriage for men and women in Hong Kong is getting late. The median age for women at first marriage has been postponed from 28.5 in 2009 to 29.9 in 2019; and for men The median age at first marriage was 31.6 years. As a local professional matching company Match Dating, with more than 10 years of matching experience professional team consultants, listen to, analyze and understand the needs of each user, provide personalized matching services, and find customers for customers.
Match Dating is different from other Speed Dating or Dating App. It insists on manually selecting each person who meets their mate selection criteria, and requires each participant to provide corresponding information and a recent personal photo to be a real person Verification to ensure that the appearance and basic conditions of both parties meet the requirements. After the two parties have confirmed the meeting, they only need to select the date, time, and restaurant preferences, and the team will act as a guide, arranging all the appointment details, so that customers can enjoy the perfect date. Match Dating matching consultant: “The trouble is a must, but after the trouble, it can make a good marriage for clients. This kind of modern matchmaking makes me feel excited and proud.”
The founder of Match Dating believes: “Everyone has the right to love and be loved. Our team will do our best to help in each case, starting with an in-depth understanding of individual talks, and then starting psychological counseling on the right mindset to assist guests. Get to know yourself better, change your inherently bad or unrealistic mentality, and correct your own problems. Provide love advice at the beginning of dating, encourage everyone to bravely step out of the comfortable zone, open up your heart, step out of the haze, and communicate with each other with more confident. In order to develop and maintain a balanced and healthy relationship, and establish their own way of love.” In addition, Match Dating is also willing to take care of the needs of different people in the society, such as divorced, widows of the elderly, people with their own psychological problems, etc. Often because of being neglected by society and self-deficiencies, they feel inferior and fear to build relationships with others, but in fact they also have their need and right to love and be loved. Match Dating uses a strong network of contacts to carry out professional matching work in different areas. It is people-oriented and helps each customer build a happy relationship.
About Match Dating Hong Kong Matching Company
Match Dating is operated by a professional team with more than ten years of experience in this industry. It is determined to find happiness for a group of single men and women. It provides a reliable one-to-one dating service for marriage and love in Hong Kong, with an affordable fee, and carefully analyzed by a professional team. You have achieved the happiest marriage.
We are determined to provide you with the most comfortable, safest and fastest way and the largest dating platform for busy people, leading you to find your favorite soulmate in the shortest time, and premise of a family. We are here waiting for you to join us and accompany the destination of marriage with you.
Match Dating website: https://matchdating.com.hk/
Tel: +852 9581 6883
Version 6.2 of ONLYOFFICE provides enhanced security for collaboration between remote locations throughout China and the rest of Asia
RIGA, LATVIA – Media OutReach – 19 March 2021 – ONLYOFFICE version 6.2, a powerful open-source office suite, now incorporates online editors for text documents, spreadsheets and presentations. Multiple editing tools and collaborative features ensure greater team workflow, and seamless work with complex formatting and objects within your web solution.
ONLYOFFICE Desktop Editors are currently translated into 11 languages, including Simplified Chinese, English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, and Brazilian Portuguese. The ONLYOFFICE office suite enables online collaboration between distant locations, and users in China and Asia will find it an immensely versatile and secure tool whenever and wherever teamwork is required.
This latest version now includes a table of figures, new features in spreadsheets, and document protection in the desktop app.
Data validation to restrict the entered data type
New feature helps the user restrict the type of data entered into a cell enabling the creation of drop-down lists that limit the entry choices for a selected cell —just pick an item from a list which speeds the process and reduces the risk of errors.
Slicers to visualize filtering in pivot tables
Slicers for pivot tables, this functionality provides quick filtering and helps indicate the filtering state, so the user then understands what data is currently displayed.
Custom number format
With version 6.2, if the existing number formats don’t meet the user’s needs, the way the values show up can be changed by creating and applying custom number formats.
New functions
- GROWTH to calculate predicted exponential growth by using existing data.
- TREND to calculate a linear trend line.
- LOGEST to calculate an exponential curve that fits the data and get an array of values that describes the curve.
- UNIQUE to get a list of unique values from the specified range.
- MUNIT to get the unit matrix for the specified dimension.
- RANDARRAY to get an array of random numbers.
Table of figures to organize illustrations
ONLYOFFICE 6.2, enables the user to create a table of figures to list and organize the tables, equations, images, charts, and shapes.
Digital signatures in ONLYOFFICE desktop
With version 6.2, users can add a digital signature to documents, spreadsheets, and presentations verifying that the content originates from a specific user, and that there are no alterations.
To sign a document, the user will need a certificate issued by a certificate authority.
Digital signature of the document online is possible with DocuSign integration in ONLYOFFICE Workspace (both cloud and self-hosted versions).
Password protection in ONLYOFFICE Desktop
Protect local office files with password.
Integration with Seafile
In early 2019, ONLYOFFICE entered a technology partnership with Seafile, a company based in Beijing and a creator of the same-name sharing platform. This opened up new opportunities specifically available within the Asian landscape.
Seafile Pro 7.1.13 made the list of the DMS that can be connected to the ONLYOFFICE Desktop. This means that users will be able to edit documents stored in Seafile right from the desktop app and even collaborate on them online.
Connecting the desktop app to third-party DMS
With version 6.2, the developers, can incorporate online editors into their doc management systems, and implement the desktop app integration using ONLYOFFICE API.
Users have the ability to connect the desktop app to their DMS and use it as a client for online editing and collaboration.
Localization of ONLYOFFICE version 6.2
New interface languages — Belarusian, Catalan, Greek, Lao, Romanian. ONLYOFFICE Docs are now available in 31 languages.
The Chinese-language version of the ONLYOFFICE website is here: https://www.onlyoffice.com/zh/
About ONLYOFFICE editors
ONLYOFFICE Docs is an office suite that includes editors for text documents, spreadsheets, and presentations.
The free community version is distributed under AGPLv3 license. There’s also a paid Enterprise version with pro functionality (content controls, document comparison), tech support, and clustering capabilities.
Community or Enterprise versions can be used within ONLYOFFICE Workspace, an open-source productivity solution, or integrated with popular sync and share apps, such as ownCloud, Nextcloud, and Seafile.
The ONLYOFFICE desktop app is totally free and is distributed under AGPLv3 license.
Useful links
Chinese website — https://www.onlyoffice.com/zh/
Online version source code — 
https://github.com/ONLYOFFICE/DocumentServer
Desktop version source code — https://github.com/ONLYOFFICE/DesktopEditors
All available integrations — https://www.onlyoffice.com/all-connectors.aspx
evian launches its first label-free, 100% recyclable, 100% recycled bottle*
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 19 March 2021 – evian announced the launch of its new bottle design with an engraved logo in Singapore, as the brand looks at innovative ways to reduce its use of virgin plastic. In line with Global Recycling Day, evian hopes to inspire others to do their part for a more sustainable future through sustainable redesign. Reinventing the way evian natural mineral water is packaged for consumers to enjoy, the bottle presents an opportunity to reaffirm the brand’s beliefs and involvement in protecting the environment. With almost two years in the making, the bottle is a first of its kind for the brand; label-free and created from 100% recycled plastic*.
This new stripped back bottle perfectly reflects what’s on the inside – evian’s uniquely sourced natural mineral water, the way nature intended; pure and refreshing. A 15-year journey through the French Alps gives evian its naturally low mineralized composition and a distinctive cool, crisp taste.
Aligned with Singapore’s Zero Waste Masterplan to create a more sustainable living environment and pave the way towards a zero-waste nation, the introduction of evian’s new label-free bottle marks a significant milestone to becoming a ‘circular’ brand by 2025 – making all of its plastic bottles from 100% recycled plastic*. In early 2020, evian received a global certification for becoming carbon neutral. The achievement of this global standard reflects the outcome of evian’s commitment to reducing plastic use and use of recycled plastic.
Shweta Harit, evian global brand VP, said: “Today’s announcement positions evian as a pioneer in sustainable design solutions, with the bottle made from 100% recycled materials* and label-free, this acts as a tangible proof of our commitment to becoming a circular brandby 2025. It’s now more important than ever for us to bring consumers our natural mineral water in a more sustainable way. Today’s launch is a key advancement and innovation for all of us at evian. The bottle’s premium design speaks to history’s most environmentally conscious generation. Stripped down to its truest form, the bottle is as pure as the water within it”.
evian’s new bottle design is available as a 400ml bottle and features an ‘evian pink’ bottle cap. The new bottle is available at Lazada, Redmart and SaladStop, and will be made available at other hotel, café and retail outlets in the months ahead.
New bottle design: http://bit.ly/3uPGslv
Sun Hung Kai & Co. (86.HK) Announces 2020 Annual Results
Profit Attributable to Owners of the Company up 22% to HK$2,547.7 million; Basic EPS up 23% to HK128.3 cents
Financial Highlights
|
|
For the year ended 31 Dec |
||
|
|
2020 |
2019 |
Change |
|
Pre-tax Profit (HK$ million) |
3,200.6 |
2,743.4 |
+17% |
|
Profit Attributable to Owners of the Company (HK$ million) |
2,547.7 |
2,085.2 |
+22% |
|
Basic Earnings Per Share (HK Cents) |
128.3 |
104.4 |
+23% |
|
Book Value Per Share (HK$) |
11.4 |
10.2 |
+12% |
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 18 March 2021 – Sun Hung Kai & Co. Limited (Stock Code: 86.HK) (“SHK & Co.” or the “Company”, together with its subsidiaries, the “Group”) announced a solid set of annual results for the year ended 31 December 2020. The year also marked a milestone in the Company’s five-year transformation from a securities house to an alternative investment platform after the disposal of its stake in Everbright Sun Hung Kai Securities Limited in November 2020. This strategic move has accelerated the development of the Company’s new Funds Management business.
Profit attributable to owners of the Company increased by 22% to HK$2,547.7 million (2019: HK$2,085.2 million); basic earnings per share (“EPS”) increased by 23% to HK128.3 cents (2019: HK104.4 cents); book value per share increased by 12% to HK$11.4 (2019: HK$10.2).
The Board has declared a second interim dividend of HK14 cents per share for the year ended 31 December 2020, increasing the total dividend per share for 2020 to HK26 cents (2019: HK26 cents).
“Despite the challenges posed by COVID-19, the results for the year reflect commendable overall performance and strong earnings in the investment management business. Through this turbulent year, the Company remained highly liquid and profitable, adopting a strategy of cautiously reducing risk in the first half, and was well-positioned for investment opportunities which arose during the second half of the year.” said Mr. Lee Seng Huang, the Group Executive Chairman.
Capitalising on the significant increase in the returns from the investment portfolio, the Group’s pre-tax profit for the year increased by 17% to HK$3,200.6 million (2019: HK$2,743.4 million). Revenue in 2020 was HK$4,056.6 million (2019: HK$4,216.8 million), of which interest income was the biggest component.
Segment Performance
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* The comparative figures for Specialty Finance and Investment Management segments were re-presented to align with the changes to segment reporting adopted in the 2020 annual report.
Investment Management
The Investment Management division leverages the Group’s expertise, network and strong financial position to seek attractive risk-adjusted investment returns. In 2020, the annual return on the average assets for the segment was 16.9%, compared to 11.9% in 2019. Taking into account operating expenses and funding cost allocations, the segment contributed HK$2,126.4 million to pre-tax profit, an increase of 65% from HK$1,290.8 million achieved in the previous year.
The development of the Group’s investment management business commenced approximately five years ago. This alternative investment focused initiative has grown to over HK$14.6 billion in assets and has built out a well-diversified portfolio consisting of investments in Private Equity, Hedge Funds, Credit and direct market securities. In addition, this portfolio has generated consistent risk adjusted returns over the 5-year period.
The standout performer in 2020 was the Alternatives segment (includes hedge funds and private equity investments) with a 24.7% return, a significant increase over the prior year. The public equity and credit portfolios were impacted in the first half of the year but saw a considerable improvement in the second half. Diversification and high underlying asset quality meant overall valuations remained robust.
The Group continued to strengthen its investment and operating teams while upgrading systems and infrastructure for the launch of its Funds Management platform. During the year, the Group added new team members and further built out its analytical and investment framework across businesses with a focus on risk management and control. In preparation for the launch of East Point Asset Management, the Group wound down a significant portion of public market positions in the fourth quarter.
Funds Management
In 2019, the Group decided to build on the success of the Investment Management business to create an Alternatives Funds Management platform, with a focus on expanding our capabilities to manage external capital. This will add additional revenue streams, further diversify our products and strategies, as well as attract and retain key talents. The Funds Management platform leverages the existing investment management platform, corporate services and marketing capabilities of SHK & Co.
The Funds Management platform has committed and launched three partnerships to date. The first with East Point Asset Management and the launch of their first fund, an APAC Equity Long/Short Fund. This involved a transition of an internally managed strategy and team. The second was a partnership with E15VC to launch a global venture capital technology fund and third is a partnership with ActusRay Partners to launch a European discretionary probabilistic investing fund focused on Europe.
In 2021, the Company has a strong pipeline of partnerships and fund launches covering various strategies including Real Estate lending, Fund of Hedge Funds, Crypto, Equity Long/Short and Index Arbitrage.
Financing Business
Consumer Finance
The Group’s Consumer Finance business is conducted via United Asia Finance Limited (“UAF”), offering unsecured loans to individual consumers and businesses in Hong Kong and Mainland China. Over the past three years, UAF ranked first amongst all money lenders in Hong Kong.
The pre-tax contribution to the Group amounted to HK$1,238.5 million, a decrease of 3% against 2019. Business volume improved in the second half of the year, though the average loan balance during the full year was lower, resulting in a drop in revenue by 5% to HK$3,331.0 million. Benefiting from interest rate reductions, finance costs were 9% lower during the year. Net impairment losses were lower by 4% as benefited from a more stable economy in the second half year compared to the first half.
Specialty Finance
The Group’s Specialty Finance business provides tailored funding solutions to corporates, investment funds and high net worth individuals. Almost all loans are either secured by assets or guarantees by corporates or high net worth individuals. The net loan balance was HK$1,637.9 million as at 31 December 2020, representing a year-on-year decline of 8%. As some of our borrowers were adversely impacted by the consequences of COVID-19, for prudence, impairment provisions were increased. As a result, Specialty Finance recorded a segmental loss of HK$132.3 million in 2020. These provisions may be reversed should there be a strong recovery post COVID-19.
Mortgage Loans
The Group’s Mortgage Loans business is operated by Sun Hung Kai Credit. It contributed a meaningful pre-tax profit of HK$112.7 million in its fifth full year of operations. Revenue increased by 3%, primarily driven by the higher yields. The gross loan balance was HK$3,061.1 million as at 31 December 2020, of which 94% was for first mortgage loans. The overall loan-to-valuation ratio of the portfolio was below 65% at the end of the year. Looking ahead, SHK Credit is entering the next phase of growth by developing more fee income through its origination and asset servicing platform.
Outlook
At the time we present this announcement, the world is still adapting to the new normal caused by the COVID-19 pandemic yet not truly recovering from it. We are proud to have had a solid 2020 against a challenging and uncertain economic backdrop. However, we remain cautious of COVID-19 and China-US relations and we remain alert to the potential downside risks of asset prices.
Looking ahead, the Group is optimistic about the prospects for its core lending businesses, confident about its investment businesses and excited about the development of its Funds Management platform. Besides, it is actively exploring collaboration and synergies between these businesses.
“The Group is committed to delivering strong risk adjusted returns over the long term with sound governance and risk controls through all market conditions. Against a backdrop of a disrupted work environment, we continue to develop our culture and systems to attract and retain top talent with a commitment to integrity, creativity and teamwork.” Mr. Lee concluded.
About Sun Hung Kai & Co. Limited
Sun Hung Kai & Co. Limited (SEHK: 86) is a leader in alternative investing headquartered in Hong Kong. Since its establishment in 1969, the Group has owned and operated market-leading platforms in Financial Services. The Group invests across public markets, alternatives and real assets and has an established track record of generating long-term risk adjusted returns for its shareholders. Most recently, it has extended its strategy to incubate, accelerate and support emerging asset managers in the Asian region. It is also the major shareholder of leading Consumer Finance firm, United Asia Finance Limited. The Group currently holds about HK$44 billion in total assets as at 31 December 2020.
For more information about SHK & Co., please visit its corporate website www.shkco.com.
Chinachem Group makes HK$3.8 million matching donation for spinal cord injury relief following paraplegic’s epic climb of Nina Tower
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 18 March 2021 – New hope will soon be given to Hong Kong people with spinal cord injuries or associated mobility problems after Urban Climb 300M+, a charity climb of Nina Tower in January, organised by Ignite Community Services and fully supported by Chinachem Group (the Group), raised more than HK$7.7 million in total for the “Get up and Walk” programme run by the Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology at The University of Hong Kong (HKU). The total proceeds include over HK$3.8 million donations from the public and corporate donors, and a dollar-for-dollar matching donation pledged by the tower’s owner, Chinachem Group. The remarkable feat at the 320-metre-tall Tsuen Wan skyscraper was performed by paraplegic climber Lai Chi-wai who became the first wheelchair climber ascended a skyscraper.
Chinachem Group Executive Director and CEO Donald Choi (3rd right); HKU’s Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Institutional Advancement) Professor Norman C Tien (4th left); Associate Vice-President (Development & Alumni Affairs) Bernadette Tsui (3rd left); Chair Professor and Head, Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Jessie Ho Endowed Professorship in Spine Surgery Professor Kenneth MC Cheung (2nd left); and Honorary Clinical Assistant Professor Dr Paul Aarne Koljonen (1st left), take group photo with Co-founders of Ignite Community Services Lai Chi-wai (2nd right) and Stella Chiu (1st right).
A cheque for the Group’s matching donations of HK$3.8 million was presented to HKU today by Group CEO and Executive Director Donald Choi, during a special ceremony to say thank-you to business partners who made a donation and the many different parties involved in providing support for the climb, including Fire Services Department, consultant, staff members at Nina Tower, volunteers and, particularly, Lai Chi-wai, co-founder of Ignite Community Services and the climber. The funds raised will be used to support Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology’s pioneering work in developing exoskeletons that can help paraplegics regain mobility, as well as other clinical services and research work to support the rehabilitation of patients with spinal cord injuries.
“Chinachem Group is strongly committed to community care and in particular, addressing the needs of minority groups and promoting inclusiveness,” Mr Choi told the guests. “Lai Chi-wai’s achievement of climbing Nina Tower in a wheelchair was truly an inspirational feat, which we believe will encourage all Hong Kong people to maintain their spirit of persistence and never lose faith amid the challenging times. We hope this donation can help more spinal injury sufferers obtain this kind of life-changing assistance.”
The Group’s donation was accepted by HKU’s Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Institutional Advancement) Professor Norman C Tien, who said “The University is so grateful to Ignite Community Services, and the challenge curator and climber, Mr Lai Chi Wai for partnering with us on this fundraising initiative. We would like to thank the Chinachem Group and members of the public for their support of the ‘Get Up and Walk’ Campaign. The HKU Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology will have the resources to help patients deal with the aftermath of spinal cord injuries and make steps towards changing their future.”
Chair Professor and Head, Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Jessie Ho Endowed Professorship in Spine Surgery Professor Kenneth MC Cheung gave a presentation about the project at the ceremony, where Lai gave the most vivid demonstration possible of what the donations can achieve by leaving his wheelchair and walking again on his own feet with the help of an exoskeleton.
The charity challenge on 16 January, Urban Climb 300M+, was initiated by Ignite Community Services, a non-profit-making organisation, as organiser and fund raiser, with Chinachem Group as lead partner. Lai’s remarkable ten-hour climb of the tower, with his steadfast determination and using only the strength of his arms and upper body to haul himself up the ropes in his wheelchair, was made all the more challenging by strong winds and falling temperatures as the day wore on. Having achieved a height of more than 250m, he encouraged supporters and Hong Kong people to “Live your dream. Never settle”.
Appendix 1:
Donors (Chinachem Group’s business partners) of “Get up and Walk” programme
1. Centaline
2. Hien Lee Engineering Co Ltd.
3. Chevalier Group
4. CR Construction Co., Ltd.
5. DCB Company Ltd.
6. Goldman Sachs
7. Huns Engineering Co. Ltd.
8. Midland Holdings Ltd.
9. Pretterior Works & Consultants Co., Ltd.
10. Sheen King Curtain Wall Eng. Ltd.
11. Sunley Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd.
12. Willis Hong Kong Ltd
13. Ying Wah Construction Group Limited
14. Arnlee Engineering Ltd.
15. Artwell Printing Factory (HK) Ltd.
16. Century 21 Group Limited
17. Colliers International
18. Cushman & Wakefield (HK) Limited
19. Deacons
20. Eight Partnership
21. ENM Holdings Ltd.
22. Gammon Construction Limited
23. Green and Cycle Lighting Ltd.
24. GYU Limited
25. Howden Insurance Brokers (HK) Limited
26. Knight Frank
27. Miele (Hong Kong) Limited
28. Ogilvy
29. Paul Y. Engineering Group
30. Savills (Hong Kong) Limited
31. Sino Group
32. Sonik Interiors Ltd.
33. Sundart Timber Products Co. Ltd.
34. Toplis and Harding (Hong Kong) Ltd.
35. UBS AG
36. Uni-China Management Limited
37. Winnie Leung & Co.
38. Yue Yi Laundry (Hong Kong) Limited
Chinachem Group
Since 1960, Chinachem Group has been a leading property developer in Hong Kong, with a portfolio covering residential, commercial, retail and industrial buildings for sales and investment, in addition to operating hotels and property management services. The Group actively seeks to make a positive contribution to society through its adherence to the “Triple Bottom Line”, a commitment that its activities will benefit People, bring Prosperity to the community and preserve the Planet.
Chinachem Group makes HK$3.8 million matching donation for spinal cord injury relief following paraplegic’s epic climb of Nina Tower
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 18 March 2021 – New hope will soon be given to Hong Kong people with spinal cord injuries or associated mobility problems after Urban Climb 300M+, a charity climb of Nina Tower in January, organised by Ignite Community Services and fully supported by Chinachem Group (the Group), raised more than HK$7.7 million in total for the “Get up and Walk” programme run by the Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology at The University of Hong Kong (HKU). The total proceeds include over HK$3.8 million donations from the public and corporate donors, and a dollar-for-dollar matching donation pledged by the tower’s owner, Chinachem Group. The remarkable feat at the 320-metre-tall Tsuen Wan skyscraper was performed by paraplegic climber Lai Chi-wai who became the first wheelchair climber ascended a skyscraper.
Chinachem Group Executive Director and CEO Donald Choi (3rd right); HKU’s Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Institutional Advancement) Professor Norman C Tien (4th left); Associate Vice-President (Development & Alumni Affairs) Bernadette Tsui (3rd left); Chair Professor and Head, Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Jessie Ho Endowed Professorship in Spine Surgery Professor Kenneth MC Cheung (2nd left); and Honorary Clinical Assistant Professor Dr Paul Aarne Koljonen (1st left), take group photo with Co-founders of Ignite Community Services Lai Chi-wai (2nd right) and Stella Chiu (1st right).
A cheque for the Group’s matching donations of HK$3.8 million was presented to HKU today by Group CEO and Executive Director Donald Choi, during a special ceremony to say thank-you to business partners who made a donation and the many different parties involved in providing support for the climb, including Fire Services Department, consultant, staff members at Nina Tower, volunteers and, particularly, Lai Chi-wai, co-founder of Ignite Community Services and the climber. The funds raised will be used to support Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology’s pioneering work in developing exoskeletons that can help paraplegics regain mobility, as well as other clinical services and research work to support the rehabilitation of patients with spinal cord injuries.
“Chinachem Group is strongly committed to community care and in particular, addressing the needs of minority groups and promoting inclusiveness,” Mr Choi told the guests. “Lai Chi-wai’s achievement of climbing Nina Tower in a wheelchair was truly an inspirational feat, which we believe will encourage all Hong Kong people to maintain their spirit of persistence and never lose faith amid the challenging times. We hope this donation can help more spinal injury sufferers obtain this kind of life-changing assistance.”
The Group’s donation was accepted by HKU’s Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Institutional Advancement) Professor Norman C Tien, who said “The University is so grateful to Ignite Community Services, and the challenge curator and climber, Mr Lai Chi Wai for partnering with us on this fundraising initiative. We would like to thank the Chinachem Group and members of the public for their support of the ‘Get Up and Walk’ Campaign. The HKU Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology will have the resources to help patients deal with the aftermath of spinal cord injuries and make steps towards changing their future.”
Chair Professor and Head, Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Jessie Ho Endowed Professorship in Spine Surgery Professor Kenneth MC Cheung gave a presentation about the project at the ceremony, where Lai gave the most vivid demonstration possible of what the donations can achieve by leaving his wheelchair and walking again on his own feet with the help of an exoskeleton.
The charity challenge on 16 January, Urban Climb 300M+, was initiated by Ignite Community Services, a non-profit-making organisation, as organiser and fund raiser, with Chinachem Group as lead partner. Lai’s remarkable ten-hour climb of the tower, with his steadfast determination and using only the strength of his arms and upper body to haul himself up the ropes in his wheelchair, was made all the more challenging by strong winds and falling temperatures as the day wore on. Having achieved a height of more than 250m, he encouraged supporters and Hong Kong people to “Live your dream. Never settle”.
Appendix 1:
Donors (Chinachem Group’s business partners) of “Get up and Walk” programme
1. Centaline
2. Hien Lee Engineering Co Ltd.
3. Chevalier Group
4. CR Construction Co., Ltd.
5. DCB Company Ltd.
6. Goldman Sachs
7. Huns Engineering Co. Ltd.
8. Midland Holdings Ltd.
9. Pretterior Works & Consultants Co., Ltd.
10. Sheen King Curtain Wall Eng. Ltd.
11. Sunley Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd.
12. Willis Hong Kong Ltd
13. Ying Wah Construction Group Limited
14. Arnlee Engineering Ltd.
15. Artwell Printing Factory (HK) Ltd.
16. Century 21 Group Limited
17. Colliers International
18. Cushman & Wakefield (HK) Limited
19. Deacons
20. Eight Partnership
21. ENM Holdings Ltd.
22. Gammon Construction Limited
23. Green and Cycle Lighting Ltd.
24. GYU Limited
25. Howden Insurance Brokers (HK) Limited
26. Knight Frank
27. Miele (Hong Kong) Limited
28. Ogilvy
29. Paul Y. Engineering Group
30. Savills (Hong Kong) Limited
31. Sino Group
32. Sonik Interiors Ltd.
33. Sundart Timber Products Co. Ltd.
34. Toplis and Harding (Hong Kong) Ltd.
35. UBS AG
36. Uni-China Management Limited
37. Winnie Leung & Co.
38. Yue Yi Laundry (Hong Kong) Limited
Chinachem Group
Since 1960, Chinachem Group has been a leading property developer in Hong Kong, with a portfolio covering residential, commercial, retail and industrial buildings for sales and investment, in addition to operating hotels and property management services. The Group actively seeks to make a positive contribution to society through its adherence to the “Triple Bottom Line”, a commitment that its activities will benefit People, bring Prosperity to the community and preserve the Planet.
