Dr. Jonathan Koon-shum CHOI, Chairman of Sunwah Group, awarded the Foreign Minister's Commendation for FY 2017

                
     Dr. Jonathan Koon-shum CHOI, Chairman of Sunwah Group has been awarded the Foreign Minister’s Commendation for FY 2017.
              
     As Chairman of Sunwah Group, Chairman of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, Hong Kong (CGCC) and Chairman of the Hong Kong–Japan Business Co-operation Committees (HKJBCC), Dr. Jonathan CHOI has contributed to activities for developing the relationship between Japan and Hong Kong. He has also helped to develop Japan’s relationship with China and ASEAN countries.
     While Dr. Jonathan CHOI was Chairman of HKJBCC, he led a delegation from the Hong Kong business community to visit Japan in July 2011, which was the first large-scale mission accepted by Sendai after the Great East Japan Earthquake hit the area. During his Chairmanship, he worked closely with Keidanren (Japan Business Federation) on a wide range of promotional activities, including industry-specific trade missions to Japan aiming to promote business partnerships in both economies. Dr. Jonathan CHOI also actively promotes Japanese agricultural products trade between Japan and Hong Kong. (About 25 per cent of Japan’s agricultural products exports go to Hong Kong, the largest destination of Japan’s agricultural products exports.) Also, with his experience and deep knowledge on Japanese business, he has contributed to promoting understanding of the Japanese economy, including being a panelist at the “Abenomics” Seminars in 2013 and 2014, respectively.
     As Chairman of the CGCC, Dr. Jonathan CHOI spearheaded its cooperation with Kyukeiren (Kyushu Economic Federation) to sign the MOU to develop collaboration in sectors of mutual interest. In addition, Dr. CHOI held study trips, conferences and seminars in Japan, Hong Kong and Vietnam.
     Sunwah Group had been doing business with Japanese corporations since 1965 and has expanded the cooperation in the business in China and Vietnam.  Dr. Jonathan CHOI has been positively making great efforts in educational and cultural exchange activities between Japan, China and ASEAN countries, such as the establishment of the Jonathan KS CHOI Cultural Centre at Kyushu University in 2016. Dr. Jonathan CHOI has also successfully promoted Sun Yat-sen related academic culture in Japan in cooperation with Japanese organisations. He has also organised and participated in networking sessions between students from, inter alia, the University of Tokyo and the University of Hong Kong.
              
     The Foreign Minister’s Commendations are awards for individuals and groups who have made outstanding achievements in international fields, in order to acknowledge their contributions to the promotion of friendship between Japan and other countries and regions. There are 187 individuals and 45 groups who have been given awards this year, including Dr. Jonathan CHOI.
              
     The Foreign Minister’s Commendation Awards Ceremony for Dr. Jonathan CHOI will be held later in Hong Kong.
              
(Reference)
Foreign Minister’s Commendations for FY 2017
https://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/press/release/press4_004779.html