A dedication ceremony was held on December 15, 2022 at The University of Hong Kong (HKU) to honour the late Dr Philip K.H. Wong. In recognition of the generous donation of HK$100 million from the Philip K.H. Wong Foundation (the Foundation) to support the Faculty of Law and university developments, the Faculty of Law’s Centre for Chinese Law is named the “Philip K.H. Wong Centre for Chinese Law (黃乾亨中國法研究中心)” (the Centre), and a 300-seat lecture theatre the “Philip K.H. Wong Theatre (黃乾亨講堂)”.
Wong family Mrs Gertrude Wong (third right), Dr Kennedy Wong (second left) and Ms Ada Wong (first right), as well as the President and Vice-Chancellor of HKU, Professor Xiang Zhang (second right); and the Dean of HKU Faculty of Law, Professor Hualing Fu (first left), unveiled the plaques at the ceremony.
The Faculty is grateful to the Guests of Honour who graced the event with their presence. HKU President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Xiang Zhang spoke of the late Dr Philip K.H. Wong who is fondly remembered as an architect of HKU’s traditions, “As we celebrate 111 years of HKU, I am reminded that Dr Wong himself was a key figure behind the successes of the 80th, 90th and 100th anniversaries. As we honour yet another milestone, there is no better time to remember a great man — and a great friend to us all”.
The Hon Paul Lam SC, Secretary for Justice, congratulated his alma mater on this historical milestone and envisaged the Centre’s future research, “present and future legal professionals of Hong Kong will benefit greatly from having access to a deeper and broader understanding of Chinese law. This will no doubt contribute significantly to the nurturing and development of our pool of legal talents to become better equipped as bridges and facilitators between the ‘two systems’ within our ‘one country’”.
Ms Priscilla Wong, Chairman of HKU Council, also an alumna of the Faculty, shared students’ excitement as users of the long-awaited theatre while recalling her encounter with the late Dr Wong: “We will always remember and be touched by Philip’s humility and his loyalty to HKU”.
Thanking the Foundation and the Wong family for their kind support throughout the years, Professor Hualing Fu, Dean of Law, said, “The Centre will no doubt endeavour to continue its excellent work in positioning itself as the best place for Chinese legal studies”.
Dr the Hon Kennedy Wong, on behalf of the Wong Family and the Foundation, shared his memories of his father, especially those of his loyalty to HKU. Over the years not only did he make donations, he also served and led different HKU and alumni related organisations; and had been a strong supporter of the celebrations of the 80th, 90th and 100th anniversaries of The University of Hong Kong. “I am an ordinary person who perhaps has done something extraordinary and beneficial for the community,” said the late Dr Philip Wong. Dr Kennedy Wong looks forward to following in his father’s footsteps to contribute to his alma mater.
