Patrick Ho

Patrick Ho Chi-ping JP (Chinese: 何志平; pinyin: Hé Zhìpíng) was born in Hong Kong, studied in the Diocesan Boys' School, Hong Kong. He won a scholarship and educated in USA for 16 years. He is an ophthalmologist, and Hong Kong's former Secretary for Home Affairs, who trained in eye surgery with special expertise in retinal surgery, he was a fellow at Harvard Medical School. He returned to Hong Kong in 1984 and taught eye surgery at the Chinese University of Hong Kong as Professor of Ophthalmology. From 1988–2000, he was Professor of Surgery (Ophthalmology) at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

He joined the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and the Preparatory Committee of the SAR.^[1] From 2002, he was the Secretary for Home Affairs and retired from his cabinet post on 1 July 2007.

Since 1993, he has been a member of the 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th (National) Chinese People's Political Consultative Committee, and in 1995, he was appointed as a member of the Preparatory Committee of the first Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government. He was the vice‐chairman of the Hong Kong Policy Research Institute. In 1997, he became a member of the Urban Council of Hong Kong SAR, China.

Family

His wife is the former Taiwanese actress Sibelle Hu. His daughter is Audrey Ho Ka Chun

Secretary for Home Affairs

In 2002, he joined the second term HKSAR Government as a Cabinet Member and the Secretary for Home Affairs with a policy portfolio ranging from district administration, human rights, arts and culture, sports and recreation, youth and religious matters, gaming and charities, to overall liaison with the civil society. His contributions are:

1. District administration- Implementation of New Village Representative election system (Dual representative election system)
2. Human rights- Race Discrimination Ordinance
3. Sports and Recreation- Olympic equestrian events^[2]
4. Gaming and Charities – Licenses for football and for lotteries
5. Arts and Culture – Conserve and Revitalise Hong Kong Heritage^[3]

The role of Hong Kong

He believed Hong Kong, a leading offshore Renminbi centre, could play a role in advancing the internationalisation of the yuan and help make it a global reserve currency, compared financial security to energy security and national security, saying they shared a common core principle, which is to serve the national interest and maintain stability. Also, Hong Kong must once again seek new economic solutions through the "One Country, Two Systems".

Public diplomacy

Ho is the Deputy chairman, and Secretary General of China Energy Fund Committee (CEFC), a think‐tank registered and anchored in Hong Kong, China, devoted to public diplomacy, with special emphasis on energy and culture. It is a charitable non‐governmental organisation with special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UN ECOSOC), search a new position for Hong Kong between China and World . He is also the Director of the National Association of Study on Hong Kong and Macau.

Ho has been working closely with the UN in promoting international co-operation and mutual respect, which is essential to the sustainable growth and prosperity to our societies. He took the initiative in organising a series of colloquiums on issues of Sino‐US relationship (Sino‐US Colloquium II‐IV) in Washington D.C. and in Hong Kong, China, intercultural dialogues (New York Forum on World Civilizations) as well as China's sustainable development (A China Story) in UN Headquarters in New York City.

UN campaign—The “Powering the Future We Want” grant

One of Ho's main focuses is energy.^[4] Under his leadership,^[5] CEFC conducts energy researches and periodical publications include China Energy Focus Natural Gas 2013,^[6] which introduces the outlook for natural gas development in China and its progress to date. In additions, CEFC also organised international energy conferences (Sino‐US Colloquium I & V on Energy Cooperation) in Hong Kong, China, and forums (2011, 2012 Pacific Energy Forum in Hong Kong and Shanghai, China; Forum of New Energy Economy and Low Carbon Development in Guangzhou, China; Hainan Petrochemical International Exchange and Cooperation Forum in Singapore) to further its mission to engage politicians and senior officials, academics and experts from different parts of the world to address energy related issues, and turn challenges into opportunities.

• Dr. Patrick C.P. Ho: Infrastructure for Sustainable Development for All
• Chinese Energy NGO, at the UN, calls for partnership around the world to wipe out energy poverty

China Energy Fund Committee (CEFC)

CEFC is a non-governmental, non-profit civil society organization. The Committee is an NGO with Special Consultative Status, the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UN ECOSOC). Registered in Hong Kong, the Committee obtains tax exemption under Section 88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance as a charitable organization. Also registered in Virginia, the United States, the Committee obtains tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code as a public charity.

Sino-US Colloquium

"Sino-US Colloquiums" are a series of important annual events organised by the China Energy Fund Committee to promote co-operation between the two countries. Our purpose is to enable constructive exchanges between accomplished dignitaries, former senior officials, academics and top business executives by offering them a platform in the form of civil summits, which are outside state governance, so as to freely discuss, unrestrained ny existing government policies, cogent topics including energy, security, technology, economics and culture, and to reach genuine mutual understanding followed by proposed solutions.

• Sino-US Colloquium (X)* − U.S.-China Policy for the Next Administration, 2016-09-26, George Washington University, Washington D.C., U.S.A
• Sino-US Colloquium (IX) − Sino-US Security Relations: an Agenda for the Next U.S. President, 2016-01-24, Hong Kong
• Sino-US Colloquium (VIII) − Beyond the Current Distrust, 2015-10-5, George Washington University, Washington D.C., U.S.A
• Sino-US Colloquium (VII) − Asian Energy Security and Cooperation: Challenges and Opportunities, 2015-1-24, Hong Kong
• Sino-US Colloquium (VI) − A New Type of Major-Country Relations and The Roles of Media, 2014-10-5 and 6, Washington D.C.
• Sino-US Colloquium (V) − Changing World Order and Energy Cooperation, 2014-1-19, Hong Kong
• Sino-US Colloquium (IV) − Core Values and World Order, 2013-10-4 and 5, Washington D.C.
• Sino-US Colloquium (III) − A Trialogue with Japan, 2013-1-20, Hong Kong
• Sino-US Colloquium (II) − Trust Building, 10 June 2012-6-10, Washington D.C.
• Sino-US Colloquium (I) − Energy Cooperation: Challenges and Opportunities

*For the Sino-US relationship, Patrick Chi Ping Ho, had a conversation with James Woolsey in 2016 (the former CIA director, senior adviser to Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump) 

• World policeman fatigue ?
• Accommodating aspirations of emerging countries
• China and America must take step to assure one another
• China, US encounter similar global challenges

• With the election over, US and Chinese leaders should get back to business
• Under Donald Trump, the US will accept China’s rise – as long as it doesn’t challenge the status quo

Energy security

China Energy Fund Committee (CEFC) and United States Energy Security Council (USESC) released a joint study, aimed at addressing the energy security issue, the report first proposes to break the petroleum monopoly through increasing transportation fuel diversification in both countries.

A China Story

With a series of presentations describing the Chinese experience in pursuit of a sustainable future, "A China Story" Forum represents the dedication and effort of the China Energy Fund Committee to provide a novel foundation and a renewed perspective for all stakeholders to move forward with the preparations for a post-2015 UN development agenda that is responsive to both today's and tomorrow's global challenges, and therefore worthy of the aspiration of all countries and peoples for a better future.

• A China Story (IV)- Building a moderately prosperous society---China’s 13th Five-Year Plan and its new role in the world, 2016-4-20, United Nations Headquarters, NYC
• A China Story (III) - From Diversity, Tolerance to a Community of Common Destiny, 2015-4-20, United Nations Headquarters, NYC
• A China Story (II) - New Pathways to Urbanization, 2014-7-7, United Nations Headquarters, NYC
• A China Story - Forum on Sustainable Development and Governance, 2013-4-16, United Nations Headquarters NYC

Forum

"China must learn lessons from history and remain committed to peaceful development", the forum commemorating the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II in Asia, aimed to provide the international community with a better understanding of the contributions made by China during the Second World War, as well as explore avenues towards global peace and development.

• 70th anniversary of the end of World War II in Asia, 2015-10-2 and 3, George Washington University, Washington D.C.

Digital Revolution

Internet changed the world, Mr.Ho argued the Internet or digital economy is credited with empowering and connecting participants on an unprecedented global scale. E-commerce and mobile applications are allowing businesses and consumers to connecting in a way that is not only expanding innovation, but is also disrupting long-established commercial applications.

Other titles and membership

• Special Honours by the Chinese Medical Association (CMA)
• Vice-chairman of the Hong Kong Policy Research Institute
• Past member of the Preparatory Committee on Chinese Medicine and the Provisional Urban Council
• Chairman of the Hong Kong Arts Development Council

See also

• CEFC calls for solidarity of Chinese people
• Hong Kong Lunar New year kau cim tradition

References