The power elite yesterday paid their last respects to shipping magnate Chao Tsong-yea before the body was flown for burial in Wuxi, Jiangsu province, where he was born.
Tycoons, business leaders and government insiders attended the funeral service at the Hong Kong Funeral Home in North Point.
Executive Council member and former chief justice Yang Ti Liang gave the eulogy and led the pallbearers, including TVB boss Sir Run Run Shaw and Ho Tim, a founder of Hang Seng Bank.
'Chao was a founder of the local shipping industry and contributed to the rise of modern Hong Kong,' Mr Yang said.
Also attending were Li Ka-shing, Golden Harvest boss Raymond Chow Ting-hsing, New World Development managing director Cheng Ka-shun and legislator Timothy Fok Tsun-ting.
Sir Run Run recalled his friendship with Chao, who died on Monday, aged 88. 'We had many interests in common, like collecting antiques, and he had a great collection,' Sir Run Run said.