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The 25th Anniversary of China's Return | From Seafood to I&T, Veteran Hong Kong Enterprises Share the Development Path and Are Optimistic about the Prospects of the Greater Bay Area

2022-06-21T23:29:38.805Z


It has been 25 years since Hong Kong's return to the motherland, and its economy has developed steadily, but it has been accused of focusing on the financial and real estate industries from time to time, and the industries tend to be single. In recent years, everyone has begun to think about the development of industries, and even innovation and technology, to explore more diversified development.


It has been 25 years since Hong Kong's return to the motherland, and its economy has developed steadily, but it has been accused of focusing on the financial and real estate industries from time to time, and the industries tend to be single.

In recent years, everyone has begun to think about the development of industries, and even innovation and technology, to explore more diversified development.

In fact, there are also many companies in Hong Kong that started out as industries and became bigger and bigger. For example, the Xinhua Group, which has been standing for more than half a century, has developed from a seafood company into a multinational company.

Cai Guanshen, the second-generation top hand and chairman of the group, accepted an exclusive interview with "Hong Kong 01", sharing the group's road of "doing practical things", and looking forward to the future, he hopes that Hong Kong businessmen will make a breakthrough in the Greater Bay Area.


Many companies in Hong Kong started out as businesses, and later moved into real estate and finance. It is easier to "find money", and the bigger they are, the bigger they are.

But there are also people who stick to the industry, invest in many innovative projects, and invest more in the mainland and overseas. Their experience is worth learning from Hong Kong businessmen, and it also provides some inspiration for Hong Kong's development of innovative industries.

Cai Guanshen, chairman of Xinhua Group, also serves as the chairman of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Entrepreneurs Alliance, and is familiar with the development of business circles in China and Hong Kong.

(Photo by Zhang Haowei)

For example, Xinhua Group, founded by the "King of Seafood" Cai Jiyou, has been established in Hong Kong for more than half a century. Its seafood business has spread all over the world, and it also develops diversified businesses, including real estate construction, finance, high-tech, infrastructure, media culture and education. Seven big business.

Cai Guanshen, chairman of Xinhua Group, worked as a "student" with his father Cai Jiyou when he was a teenager, and did not inherit his father's business until 1976.

Now he is the chairman of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Entrepreneurs Alliance and the permanent honorary chairman of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong. He is familiar with the development of the Mainland and Hong Kong.

He revealed that the group's investment in the mainland has continued to rise in recent years. "There are seven major regions in the mainland, such as the Northeast, Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, Yangtze River Delta, and the Greater Bay Area."

Xinhua seafood industry is still the core business of the group. The picture shows the seafood factory in Hong Kong.

(Provided by Xinhua Group)

Intelligence subverts traditional industries

Hong Kong's economy is developing rapidly, and a lot of private capital has accumulated. Cai Guanshen bluntly said that Hong Kong is not only a "middleman", but also an "investor". His new term is "CIO", where "I" means investor, " O" is operator.

After accumulating a certain amount of capital, Xinhua is acting as an investor and operator.

Cai Guanshen invested in the mainland and also used his brains in operations. The mainland advocates "Industry 4.0" and actively promotes intelligence.

"Taking my old practice as an example, fish farming requires fish ponds. In the past, it was required to be raised in a sea, but not at home, but at the factory." He joked that the factory didn't even have a toilet, because there was no one in the factory.

In addition, Xinhua is in the seafood industry. On the other hand, it also develops "automated" agriculture. The group owns tea estates, vineyards, and coffee factories.

"Our factory uses photovoltaic power generation, so we don't have to buy electricity, we generate all the electricity ourselves, how much electricity can be sold, which is called intelligence."

Cai Guanshen not only reformed the production mode of mainland agriculture, but also expanded export sales.

He revealed that foreigners think tea contains pesticides as "dirty", "We Hong Kong people are honest, and I want to achieve EU certification! That is, you can't use pesticides, and you don't want to have residues in it. People will pay first. You authenticate."

Xinhua Technology, a subsidiary of Xinhua Group, focuses on the new economy industry. Cai Guanshen said with a smile that he would "pay tuition".

(Photo by Zhang Haowei)

Supporting start-up companies "paying tuition" is inevitable

The foundation laid by the successful operation of the seafood industry over the years will enable the Group to handle similar agriculture with ease in the future.

However, Cai Guanshen is unwilling to stay in the "comfort zone" and has started investing in new economic businesses in recent years.

Xinhua Technology, a subsidiary of Xinhua Group, is playing dice by Cai Guanshen's eldest son, Cai Junsi, focusing on the new economy industry.

When asked if the transformation was difficult, Cai Guanshen laughed and said, "You must pay tuition fees when you enter a new industry. You can do well as soon as you do it. I don't believe it, Shimi?"

Although Xinhua has developed smoothly in the old economy, it is inevitable to enter the new economy.

"It was miserable at the beginning, and I lost eight out of ten bids. This is our investment loss. After that, I will change it slowly if I have experience. Master, you have to be accurate! If there is something, I will vote less, not as much as it is!"

Xinhua Technology has a wide range of investments, whether it is driverless, biotechnology, or even the Metaverse.

"We can't do so much (new business), young people are creative and have visions, and I've lost my investment, hoping to become a unicorn, one by one." In addition to the money, Xinhua will also use the group's business The network in the mainland seeks resources for the invested start-up companies, such as entering industrial parks.

The characteristics of Hong Kong people are flexible and flexible, and they are good at packaging and marketing. Cai Guanshen believes that Hong Kong businessmen have advantages in starting businesses in the Greater Bay Area.

(Photo by Zhang Haowei)

Entrepreneurship is not customized, innovation and technology Hong Kong businessmen have advantages in entering the Greater Bay Area

In addition to "contributing money", Hong Kong businessmen can also "contribute". The construction of the Greater Bay Area has broken the predicament of Hong Kong's "small market".

Xinhua has invested in hundreds of companies so far, and has seen the successes and failures of different companies. He also sees the opportunities in the Greater Bay Area. "There are 68 million people in the Greater Bay Area, and their spending power is very strong!" Cai Guanshen believes that Hong Kong SMEs As long as you focus on your own industry, even a bakery, restaurant, or hair salon can be successful.

"In my hometown of Zhongshan, there is a cake shop opened by Hong Kong university students who opened a cake shop to buy cakes in the queue, using the whole cake technology of star-rated hotels in Hong Kong (as a selling point). Bing, you are successful!" He pointed out that many start-ups have the wrong idea that entrepreneurship must be done in innovation and technology and in technology-related industries in order to be successful.

"I want to be Yang Zhenning, and I want to be Jack Ma. Everyone has to do it! Scientists have to eat Michelin restaurants and wear beautiful shirts. If you do something special, you will succeed."

It’s all because of the large market and fine competition in the Greater Bay Area. “Mainland startups are rent-free for a few years, and the labor is flat, so it’s easy to get past any problems.” In addition, Hong Kong people are flexible and good at packaging and marketing. Cai Guanshen believes that Hong Kong There are advantages for businessmen to start a business in the Greater Bay Area.

"A lot of young people brew coffee, pull flowers are beautiful, and the beans are well ditched. They have their own characteristics and are better than Starbucks!"

Return to 25 years of major economic data changes


Source: hk1

All news articles on 2022-06-21

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