Maritime Silk Road makes its debut in Ningbo for the centennial birthday of a shipping tycoon

A bauhinia domicile has bloomed in Ningbo

for Ningbonese figures

Commemoration of the centennial birthday of Mr. Pao Yue Kong cum unveiling ceremony of the Maritime Silk Road Shipping Building at The Bauhinia 

was held in the said building in Eastern New Town at 9:30 a.m. on 17 November.

Venue of the ceremony

The ceremony was hosted by International Ningbo Merchants Association (Hong Kong Office) and co-hosted by Ningbo Yongshang Real Estate.Present at the event were officials at all levels in Ningbo and guests including the President of Ningbo-Hong Kong Fellowship Association,

 representatives of International Ningbo Merchants Association (Hong Kong Office), shareholders of Ningbo Real Estate, representatives of

 Hong Kong-based Ning Shing (Holdings) Co., Ltd., representatives of customers and merchants and major news media in Ningbo. Notably, Prof. Anna Pao Sohmen, 

the eldest daughter of Mr. Pao Yue Kong, was also present with relatives and friends of the Pao family.

Guests signing in

Ready to ride the tide,

Ningbonese figures will not shirk their responsibilities

The ceremony was presided over by Mr. Cliff Sun Kai Lit, former President of Ningbo-Hong Kong Fellowship Association. 

As one of the shareholders of The Bauhinia project,

 Mr. Cliff Sun Kai Lit whose ancestral home is Ninghai County, although born in Hong Kong, always has a special feeling for Ningbo and is 

concerned about the development of his hometown.

Mr. Cliff Sun Kai Lit presiding over the ceremony  

Mr. Liu Tiecheng, Vice President of International Ningbo Merchants Association, was gratified that The Bauhinia gave Ningbo

 merchants a foothold on returning to their hometown, 

and he had high hopes for the sustainable development of the Maritime Silk Road Shipping Building and the continuation of the entrepreneurial 

and innovative spirit of Ningbonese figures.

Speech by Mr. Liu Tiecheng

In memory of the great achievements of predecessors of Ningbonese figures, Mr. Steve Geeking Hsu, Chairman of Ningbo Merchants Investment Group 

Company Limited, said that the glorious history of Ningbonese figures should be continued and he hoped that the Maritime Silk Road 

Shipping Building could give new impetus to the development of Ningbo.

Speech by Mr. Steve Geeking Hsu

A once-in-a-century shipping tycoon

 devoted to the country and future generations

Born in Zhenhai, Ningbo, in 1918, Pao Yue Kong is a household name in Ningbo, who later left footprints all over the country due to war and other reasons.

 In March 1949, he flew to Hong Kong with his family. There he founded the World-Wide Shipping Group and was hailed as a shipping tycoon.

Picture from the Internet

In support of and in response to Deng Xiaoping’s call to “pool efforts from Ningbonese figures worldwide to build Ningbo”,

 Mr. Pao Yue Kong campaigned for improving Ningbo’s status as a city, gave advice for developing port industry, leveraged all social forces for 

establishing Beilun Steel Plant, and acted as a go-between for building and opening Ningbo Airport. As an overseas Chinese,

 he showed deep affection for his hometown and a heart for serving it.

Speech by Prof. Anna Pao Sohmen

Today, Mr. Pao Yue Kong’s four daughters returned to their ancestral hometown with more than ten members of the Pao family. Prof. Anna Pao Sohmen, 

the eldest daughter of Mr. Pao Yue Kong, delivered a speech on behalf of the Pao family. In memory of Mr. Pao Yue Kong, she also expressed a beautiful

 vision for a thriving Ningbo.

Prof. Anna Pao Sohmen described The Bauhinia as a flower sprung up in Ningbo, and a domicile for Ningbonese figures. As the initiator of The Bauhinia project, 

she hoped to inherit the legacy of her late father and wished for an everlasting shipping spirit.

Maritime Silk Road Shipping Building

 A bauhinia presence in Ningbo

As the office building of The Bauhinia, the Maritime Silk Road Shipping Building is a global trade platform established for extensive consultation, 

joint contribution and shared benefits.

Rendering of Maritime Silk Road Shipping Building

The main reason for naming the office building of The Bauhinia as Maritime Silk Road Shipping Building is the direct engagement of many of the 

renowned Ningbonese figures in shipping or related industries. It also reflects that Ningbonese figures have responded to the Belt and Road Initiative of

 General Secretary Xi Jinping and vigorously boosted the development of Ningbo’s international shipping and logistics industry pivots to serve the country.

Ribbon cutting and unveiling ceremony of Maritime Silk Road Shipping Building

The year 2018 marks the 40th anniversary of reform and opening up and the centennial birthday of Mr. Pao Yue Kong. We mourn for the great man with long-lived spirit. 

Unveiled in this special year, Maritime Silk Road Shipping Building is a tribute from the new generation of Ningbonese figures to Mr. Pao Yue Kong and other predecessors. 

It owes to the joint efforts since reform and opening up and active response to the Belt and Road Initiative of Ningbo and Hong Kong.