Yuet Keung Kan

Infobox Biography
name = 簡悅強爵士
Sir Yuet-Keung Kan


image_size = 110px
image_caption =
birth_date = 26 July 1913
birth_place = Hong Kong
death_date =
death_place =
occupation = politician, banker, lawyer

Sir Yuet-Keung Kan ["Sir Kan Yuet-Keung" is an incorrect style of address as "Sir" should not be followed by family name.] , GBE, JP (zh-t|t=簡悅強, born 26 July 1913) is a retired Hong Kong banker, politician and lawyer who was successively appointed Senior Unofficial Member of the Legislative Council and Executive Council in the 1960s and 1970s. He also served as chairman of the Bank of East Asia for 20 years.

Biography

Early years

Kan was born on 26 July 1913 in Hong Kong to a wealthy family which is descended from Shunde, Canton. He has thirteen siblings and he ranked fourth amongst them. [ [http://xz6.2000y.net/mb/1/ReadNews.asp?NewsID=198306 http://xz6.2000y.net/mb/1/ReadNews.asp?NewsID=198306] ] His father, Tong Po Kan, , was one of the founders of the Bank of East Asia. His youngest brother, Professor Yuet-Wai Kan , is a notable American physician who was awarded the Shaw Prize in Life Science and Medicine in 2004.

Kan studied in Diocesan Boys' School in his early years. Upon graduation, he wished to be a doctor but gave up the idea when his family opposed it. He was enrolled to the University of Hong Kong and resided in Morrison Hall. He graduated from the University in 1934 and obtained a BA degree. As an alumnus of the Morrison Hall, he once recalled that "Morrisonians have always had such wonderful team spirit!" [ [http://www.hku.hk/morrison/Alumni/Sharing%20of%20Alumni/sharing.html http://www.hku.hk/morrison/Alumni/Sharing%20of%20Alumni/sharing.html] ]

He then moved to the United Kingdom for further study and read law in the London School of Economics. He worked briefly in a firm in England after graduation and returned to Hong Kong in 1938, where he became a practicing solicitor.

Business career

Kan had a fast growing career in law, business and banking in Hong Kong. He once worked as a senior partner of the famous local law firm, Lo & Lo, and was successively served as the chairman of the Law Society of Hong Kong and a member of the Society's disciplinary committee. He was also director of Hong Kong Land and Harbour Centre Development Limited for some time. Besides, Kan had taken over his family banking business, and served as chairman of the Bank of East Asia from 1963 to 1983.

From 1970 to 1975, he was appointed as the chairman of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council for the first time. During his tenure, the Council expanded rapidly and had set up new offices in Frankfurt, Vienna, Tokyo, Amsterdam and etc. In 1973, the Council participated in the New York's International Toy Fair for the first time. Kan left the Council in 1975 but was re-appointed in 1979. In his second tenure, he kept on visiting different countries and promoting trading benefits of Hong Kong. On the other hand, the Council tied up closer relationship with Japan by setting up a new office in Osaka in 1979 and establishing an Economic Cooperation Committee with the Japanese government. In 1980, he also led a business tour to visit Canton. Kan finally retired from the Council in 1983.

Public service

As early as 1957, Kan was appointed as a councilor of the Urban Council and served as a member of the government's Public Service Commission from July 1959 to June 1961. [ [http://www.psc.gov.hk/tc_chi/ann_rep/files/00repc.pdf http://www.psc.gov.hk/tc_chi/ann_rep/files/00repc.pdf] ] He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 1959 Queen's Birthday Honours.LondonGazette|issue=41727|supp=yes|startpage=3721|date=5 June 1959|accessdate=2008-02-22] He left the Urban Council in 1961 and became an unofficial member of the Legislative Council. [LondonGazette|issue=42387|startpage=4496|date=16 June 1961|accessdate=2008-02-22] [LondonGazette|issue=43312|startpage=3773|date=1 May 1964|accessdate=2008-02-22] He later also became the chairman of the government's Transport Advisory Committee.

In 1966, the Star Ferry applied for an increase of the first class fare of the cross-Victoria Harbour ferry from 20-cent to 25-cent and the application was soon approved by the Advisory Committee. The fare increase did not include the third class and therefore the grass roots community was largely unaffected, since the passengers of the first class deck were usually from the wealthier sector of the society. However, when the fare increase was announced by the government, it resulted in a general dissidence from the grass roots community as the Star Ferry was the only major cross-harbour public transportation at that time. Kan worsened the situation when he publicly commented that "people who do not want to pay the first class fare can simply change their mind to the third class deck". His statement made a public outcry and was one of the blasting fuses of the Kowloon Riots afterwards.

Kan's tough attitude was much impressed and appreciated by the colonial government. As a result, apart from his membership in the Legislative Council, he was additionally appointed as an unofficial member of the Executive Council by then governor Sir David Trench in 1966. [LondonGazette|issue=44014|startpage=6598|date=7 June 1966|accessdate=2008-02-22] [LondonGazette|issue=44615|startpage=6800|date=18 June 1968|accessdate=2008-02-22] As the Cultural Revolution had just commenced, the political situations of both Hong Kong and mainland China became increasingly unstable. In 1967, the turbulence from the mainland finally spilled over to Hong Kong, resulting in the disastrous Leftist Riots which began as a labour dispute in an artificial flower factory in San Po Kong.

During the nearly year-long Leftist Riots, Kan held a hard line towards the rioters. He made speeches in the Legislative Council supporting the government and insisted in suppressing the riot through armed might. His contribution during the crisis was recognized by the government and therefore he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1967 Queen's Birthday Honours.LondonGazette|issue=44326|supp=yes|startpage=6288|date=2 June 1967|accessdate=2008-02-22]

After the riot, Kan was further promoted to the status of the senior unofficial member of the Legislative Council in 1968. [LondonGazette|issue=44615|startpage=6799|date=18 June 1968|accessdate=2008-02-22] Since then, he started holding a variety of public posts including the chairmanships or the memberships of the School Medical Service Board, Public Service Commission, Soical Welfare Advisory Committee, the Legislative Council's Finance Committee and etc.

Kan was knighted in the 1972 New Year Honours,LondonGazette|issue=45554|supp=yes|startpage=1|endpage=2|date=31 December 1971|accessdate=2008-02-22] and travelled to Buckingham Palace to receive the accolade in July.LondonGazette|issue=45731|startpage=8753|date=21 July 1972|accessdate=2008-02-22] He retired from the Legislative Council in the same year, but he continued to serve on the Executive Council. [LondonGazette|issue=45589|startpage=1378|date=3 February 1972|accessdate=2008-02-22] [LondonGazette|issue=45747|startpage=9448|date=8 August 1972|accessdate=2008-02-22] In 1974, he was appointed senior unofficial member of the Executive Council. Soon afterwards, the price of rice in Hong Kong rose drastically and it resulted in a general inflation. In order to solve the problem, the government appointed Sir Yuet Keung as the first ever chairman of the Consumer Council in the history of Hong Kong. [ [http://www.consumer.org.hk/website/sharedinfo/annualreport/20022003/20022003.pdf http://www.consumer.org.hk/website/sharedinfo/annualreport/20022003/20022003.pdf] ] In 1978, there was a strike started by local civil servants. He was called to hold talks with the strikers and successfully reconciled the dispute. When Queen Elizabeth II visited Hong Kong for the first time in 1977, Sir Yuet Keung, in his capacity as the senior unofficial member of the Executive Council, delivered the welcome speech to the Queen in the City Hall.

In March 1979, Sir Yuet Keung accompanied then governor Sir Murray MacLehose to pay a secret visit to Beijing, where both of them had a meeting with Deng Xiaoping. Knowing that the Communist China insisted on obtaining Hong Kong by 1997 and the British Government intended to give up over the issue of sovereignty, Sir Yuet Keung felt the future of Hong Kong was less assured. After the visit, he was appointed Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE),LondonGazette|issue=47869|supp=yes|startpage=7|date=15 June 1979|accessdate=2008-02-22] and retired from the Executive Council in 1980, choosing to fade out from the politics of Hong Kong.

Later years

Kan was appointed life member of Court of the University of Hong Kong in 1972, he was also appointed life member of the Council of the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 1983. He was the chairman of the Council of the Chinese University from 1973 to 1983, and from 1983 to 1996, he was the Pro-Chancellor of the Chinese University.

As of 2007, Sir Yuet Keung is 93 years old. He still lives in Hong Kong but has almost withdrawn from public life.

Family

Kan married his wife Ida in 1940. They have two sons and a daughter. One of their sons, Kan Sung Chee, Philip (簡崇知), is a practicing lawyer in Hong Kong. [ [http://www.hklawsoc.org.hk/pub_c/memberlawlist/member.asp?id=785663 http://www.hklawsoc.org.hk/pub_c/memberlawlist/member.asp?id=785663] ] Kan's interests include swimming, golf and tennis.

Honours

Orders

*JP (21 January 1949) [Sir Yuet Keung Kan has been the longest serving Justice of Peace since 2007. See [http://www.info.gov.hk/jp/eng/JPList_g.htm lists of Hong Kong Justices of Peace] ]
*OBE (1959)
*CBE (1967)
*Knight Bachelor (1972)
*GBE (1979)
*Order of the Sacred Treasure, 3rd class (Japan)
*Officier de l'Ordre national du Mérite (France, 1978)
*Officer's Cross, Order of Merit 1st class (Germany, 1983)
*Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold with Star (Austria, 1983)
*Order of the Sacred Treasure, 2nd class (Japan, 1983)
*Kinght Grand Cross, Royal Order of Northern Pole Star (Sweden, 1983)

Honorary Degrees

*Honorary Doctorates of Law
**Chinese University of Hong Kong (1968)
**University of Hong Kong, (1973)
*Honorary Fellowships
**London School of Economics (1980)

Other Public Posts Held

* Member of the Council of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (1963 - 1967)
* Chairman of the Chung Chi College Board of Trustees [Sir Yuet Keung Kan played an important role in the foundation of the Chung Chi College. Under his assistance after the World War II, the College was recognized by the government as a qualified higher education institute. He also participated in the drafting of the Written Provision of the College and helped to build new campus for the College in Ma Liu Shui.] (1964 - 1968)
* Chairman of the Council of the Chinese University (1971 - 1983)
* Life member of Court of the University of Hong Kong (appointed on 1 February 1972) [ [http://www.hku.hk/about/court_membership.html Membership of the Court of the University of Hong Kong] ]
* Life member of the Council of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (appointed in 1983)
* Pro-Chancellor of the Chinese University (1983 - 1996)

Footnotes

References

*"Who's Who", A & C Black, 2006.
*" [http://www3.hku.hk/eroonweb/hongrads/person.php?id=63 Kan, The Hon. Sir Yuet-keung] ", University of Hong Kong, 12 April 1973.
*" [http://www.supertrader.com.hk/en/moments_tdc.htm Significant Moment] ", "Supertrader", Hong Kong Trade Development Council, visited on 18 May 2007.
*冷夏, " [http://book.sina.com.cn/nzt/cha/huoyingdongquanzhuan/134.shtml 第四十五章] ", "霍英东全传", 中国戏剧出版社, visited on 18 May 2007.

External links

* [http://www.supertrader.com.hk/b5/index.htm Supertrader] , Hong Kong 40 years of Trade
* [http://www3.hku.hk/eroonweb/hongrads/person.php?id=63 Kan, The Hon. Sir Yuet-keung] , address from the University of Hong Kong

###@@@KEYEND@@@###