“No act of goodness is too small"

Ladies and gentlemen, good evening! On this joyous occasion, it is my pleasure to welcome you again to Shanghai and to the Wealth and Society Gala Dinner 2020.

Let us once again congratulate all the award-winning institutions and individuals. We are honoured to witness and participate in the development and changes in China's wealth industry. Wealth creation and social responsibility complement each other and are an indispensable driving force for social progress and development.

Throughout the year, the pandemic has changed many things including our lifestyle and even the way we work and communicate. Meanwhile, it has brought us closer as we have more time to be with family and friends. Moreover, it also presented new opportunities to focus on those who are around us and to get involved in initiatives that can changesociety for the better.

We all have witnessed the extraordinary sense of responsibility and leadership of government agencies and enterprises in post-pandemic recovery. We, as individuals, have therefore more clearly recognised our inescapable responsibility and commitment to social development.

In today's industry, focus is on harnessing business and technology for the good of everyone. Mr. Emmanuel Daniel echoed Laozi in his opening remarks, “The greater good is like water”. Indeed, either in a tiny stream or vast ocean, water has been nourishing life by its own strength.

The just-concluded awarding ceremony reminds us how financial institutions can better give back to the community while helping clients grow wealth. We saw the effective participation of institutions in environmental protection, poverty alleviation, support to small and medium size enterprises (SME), and universal education. We came to know how Dr. Han Kai and Mother’s Smile philanthropic project have been providing medical assistance to children with cleft lip and palate in underprivileged areas for the past three decades.

No act of goodness is too small. These stories prove that kindness, persistence, and love can bring beautiful changes to the world; and also allow us to see hope in the children's imagination and smiles about the future.

Ladies and gentlemen, time never stops and seasons come and go. We are grateful for the past year. Let us walk into the new year with hope. We wish everyone a Happy New Year.

Please visit Wealth and Society 2020 to view proceedings and speeches at the event.