Tycoon Li Ka-shing finds solace in Canto-pop and DAB politician’s support amid Chinese state media attacks
Hong Kong’s richest man – and Canto-pop fan – Li Ka-shing has written to a local pro-establishment politician, thanking him for expressing support after the tycoon was criticised by Chinese state media for offloading capital on the mainland
Hong Kong’s richest man – and Canto-pop fan – Li Ka-shing has written to a local pro-establishment politician, thanking him for expressing support after the tycoon was criticised by Chinese state media for offloading capital on the mainland during an economic downturn.
Li this week wrote to Danny Chan Chung-cheung, a member of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, to thank him for an article published by Chinese language newspaper on Saturday.
Li echoed Chan’s admiration for Canto-pop band Beyond, mentioned in the column.
“Today I am 87. But I am often touched by [late Beyond singer-songwriter] Mr Wong Ka-kui’s songs and lyrics,” Li said in the letter.
Li wrote that his company had been “seeking progress while maintaining stability” since it was established in 1950. Then he moved on to address the recent controversies from the mainland.
He said the recent “storm” surrounding him was “deeply puzzling”.
“The country has been opening up and moving towards reform for the past decades. It is surprising there is still a force in the dark that is moving in the opposite direction,” he said.
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Without naming anyone, Li said some people allow “impressions” to dominate their thinking.
“The spread of misconceptions and blind following make it easy for people with an agenda to pin others onto the pillar of shame,” Li said.
In Chan’s article, entitled “Li Ka-shing is my most respected man”, he said he often attended general meetings held by Li’s Hutchison Whampoa to listen to his “lecturing”.
He said this was to learn from Li on “how to give back to the community.” Chan said this was more important than earning money.
He also said he admired Li for the firm support he gave to Henry Tang Ying-yen throughout the 2012 chief executive election, even though Tang was doomed to lose due to a dramatic decline in popularity.
Li has been blamed in commentaries run by state media outlets for being “unpatriotic” for allegedly withdrawing his businesses from the mainland.
The attacks on Li emerged last month when the Outlook Institution think tank, set up under the auspices of state news agency Xinhua, carried a strongly worded commentary.
It said Li had enjoyed a great run in mainland markets in the past decades largely because Beijing gave him preferential treatment. It argued Li had “missions” to finish in mainland China and he should not move out.
Later, Communist Party mouthpiece urged readers to “build a better country to make Li’s departure today become his regret tomorrow”.
