Hong Kong foundation teams with UK institutions to train China's future business and soccer leaders
Uni to nurture business talent and soccer school will help build the game
A Hong Kong foundation has teamed up to open a business school at a British university to promote innovation and cultural exchanges between China and the UK.
On Saturday, Hong Kong's Sun Wah Group and De Montfort University in Leicester announced the launch of the Jonathan Choi Business School that aims to nurture future Chinese business leaders.
Jonathan Choi, chairman of Sun Wah Group, said China's rapid development - in particular President Xi Jinping's New Silk Road initiatives to boost trade and investment between Asia, Europe and Africa - offered new opportunities to the region and beyond.
Sino-British political and economic exchanges between have increased since Premier Li Keqiang and British Prime Minister David Cameron signed trade deals worth more than £14 billion (HK$184 billion) in London last year.
"As the witness of rapid development in Chain and East Asia, Sun Wah Group is dedicated to promoting regional and non-government economic and trade exchanges," Choi said.
Founded 50 years ago, the group's businesses include real estate, finance, technology and education in Asia, Europe, North America and Australia.
The newly launched business school will also recruit students from China's Liaoning University. The northeastern province's GDP growth rate of 5.8 per cent is one of the lowest in China.
The Sun Wah Group also plans to open a soccer school in the Midlands city to train Chinese players and team managers in conjunction with the England Football Association.
Soccer training has long been underdeveloped in China. Its national soccer team has played only once in the World Cup. But England's national team is one of the strongest in Europe. The group saw the opportunity to expand the cooperation between Chinese and British soccer players, Choi said.
The business school launch ceremony was held at the Beijing 3e International School, which was founded by Sun Wah Group a decade ago to host about 200 children from a dozen countries.
