Mourning My Dear Friend Dr. Yang Xiangbo

2020.06.04

In the past few days, I have received countless phone calls from friends in the industry, expressing their concern and condolences on the passing of Dr. Yang Xiangbo. Even in his final days, everyone had wanted to do their best to do something for him, and our hearts are saddened as we miss him dearly and mourn the loss of such a remarkable man. Unfortunately, Dr. Yang lost the battle to illness, and he passed away on June 2 at the age of 58.

Dr. Yang Xiangbo is a very close friend of mine, he was a member of the 8th, 9th, 10th and 12th CPPCC National Committee, Executive Vice President of the Harmony Club, Chairman of Shirble Holdings, Director of Shirble Department Store Holdings (China) Limited, and had received an Honorary Doctorate in Engineering from the Harbin Institute of Technology.

Dr. Yang Xiang Bo established the Shirble Group in the nineties, and after close to 30 years of dedication, the company has grown into a diversified business operating across various regions and industries. He was the founder of Shirble Department Stores, a household name with a long-established reputation in Shenzhen, and I believe that folks from the first batch of entrepreneurs in Shenzhen would be familiar with Dr. Yang and the Shirble Group. If it weren't for the macroeconomic regulation and control in the earlier years, as well as some strategic missteps, the scale and success of the Shirble Group in the country would be even stronger on the national level.

Dr. Yang is a major philanthropist known for his charitable contributions. He donated 100 million yuan to the Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen), for the establishment of Harmonia College, which aims to develop talents for the country and region. Apart from his contributions to causes in education, poverty alleviation, disaster relief, sports, Chinese opera and so on, Dr. Yang also established the James A. Mirrlees Scholarship, and had donated to the Shenzhen Pingshan District Harmony Foreign Language School.

Dr. Yang Xiangbo is a sociable man, and he has made friends far and wide. From the political arena in Beijing to folks in the private business sector, everyone holds him in high regard. I have known him for over 20 years, and we have gradually become close friends who would talk about anything under the sun. We would often attend events of the CPPCC National Committee and Shenzhen Harmony Club together. He was a generous and big-hearted man who left an impression on anyone he crossed paths with. Our families are extremely close, and Dr. Yang's son Yang Tiwei, who was educated in the United Kingdom, is a fine young man who is a close friend of my son. Both of them share the same interests in their love of sports cars, and have a positive outlook on life.

Now, Yang Tiwei will be taking over the reins as the co-chair of the board of directors, a member on the nomination committee and remuneration committee, and the chief representative of his father's company. I trust that he will be able to shoulder this great responsibility, to continue the flame of his father's passion, spirit, and career. I have faith that Tiwei will do an exceptional job at managing his father's businesses, and my friends and I will certainly support him all the way.

"The age of peace has nurtured talents, who will create a magnificent world in the future." The passing of Dr. Yang Xiangbo is not only a massive loss to his family and business, but also society and all his friends. A great man has passed, but his legacy shall forever remain. Dr. Yang Xiangbo, farewell, and may you rest in peace.

—— Dr. Chen Hongtian, member of the CPPCC National Committee, a Justice of the Peace appointed by the HKSAR, chairman of Shenzhen Harmony Club, and Chairman of Cheung Kei Group