Reiwa 1 Autumn Conferment of Decorations on Foreign Nationals Dr. David Mong, Chairman and CEO of Shun Hing Group Awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon

In November 2019, the Government of Japan announced the foreign recipients of the Reiwa 1 Autumn Imperial Decorations. Dr. David Mong, Chairman and CEO of Shun Hing Group, was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon for his outstanding contributions to promoting cultural exchanges and the enhancement and development of economic relationship between Japan and Hong Kong. The Award Ceremony for Autumn Conferment of Decorations on Foreign National was held today by the Consulate-General of Japan in Hong Kong at which Mr. Mitsuhiro Wada, Consul-General presented the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon to Dr. Mong, who is the only Hong Kong citizen to have received the honour in Reiwa 1 (2019) Autumn.

Mr. Mitsuhiro Wada remarked in his speech at the Awards Ceremony, "In the fields of economy and culture, Dr. Mong has demonstrated incomparable enthusiasm for Japan, I am sure we all agree that he is a leading figure in the development of the friendly relationship between Japan and Hong Kong." In addition to Dr. Mong's positions in Shun Hing Group and as the Chairman of Hong Kong and Kowloon Electrical Appliances Merchants Association, he also took up the post as President of the Japan Society of Hong Kong. 

Dr. Mong was appointed as President of the Japan Society of Hong Kong in 2014 and has devoted to promoting cultural exchanges between Japan and Hong Kong through organising different Japanese cultural events such as the traditional Japan summer festival, quiz contest and music concerts and more. In 2016, the Japan Society of Hong Kong launched a fundraising campaign on helping the people in Kumamoto who were impacted by the earthquakes and facilitating reconstruction works. Apart from personal donation, Dr. Mong also assisted in setting up donation boxes at 338 locations in Hong Kong, including department stores and stores under the Shun Hing Group. As a result, the campaign had raised more than $1 million Hong Kong Dollars.

As Chairman and CEO of Shun Hing Group, Dr. Mong deeply understands the importance of the economic partnership between Japan and Hong Kong. Shun Hing Group has formed a long-established business relationship with Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd. for the past 65 years, which has a profound contribution on supporting Japanese companies and their products entering the Hong Kong market as well as strengthening and developing the economic relationship between Japan and Hong Kong.

Dr. Mong expressed his great honour to be awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon and was thankful for the support and recognition from the Government of Japan. "I hope to uphold this honour and promote further cultural exchanges between Japan and Hong Kong by supporting different Japanese related events. I am excited and looking forward to contributing to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games by all means," he added.

"The Order of the Rising Sun", established in 1875, is a Japanese order to be awarded to those who have made distinguished achievements in international relations, promotion of Japanese culture, advancements in their field. It is classified into 6 classes, from the highest to the lowest, namely: The Order of the Rising Sun, Grand Cordon; the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star; the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon; the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette; the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays and the Order of the Rising Sun, Silver Rays.