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SCMP

Acrimony set aside at Tower festivities
By Goeffrey Crothall
This article was first published on May 18, 1990
Leaders of politics, finance and commerce from Hongkong and China converged on No 1 Garden Road last night to celebrate the official opening of the territory’s tallest building, the Bank of China Tower.
The acrimony and terse exchanges of recent weeks were seemingly forgotten as smiles and handshakes abounded. Even the Chief Secretary, Sir David Ford, managed a smile as he was pushed aside by New China News Agency director Mr Zhou Nan and his party with a crowd of photographers in tow.

The mood of conciliation was summed up by China’s senior representative on the Joint Liaison Group, Mr Guo Fengmin, who said: “There have been a few problems of late, but I am confident they will be resolved in the near future and the Chinese and British sides will continue to work closely together in the run up to 1997.”
In his opening address, the president of the Bank of China, Mr Wang Deyan, made a special point of thanking the Hongkong Government for its support in the construction of the bank’s Hongkong headquarters.

“In order to maintain the stability and prosperity of the Hongkong economy, the Bank of China Group will continue to strengthen its amicable and co-operative relations with its friends in international finance and other sectors,” Mr Wang said.
Also attending the reception were China’s Finance Minister Mr Wang Bingqian, Financial Secretary Sir Piers Jacobs, Hongkong Bank chairman Mr William Purves, Bank of East Asia chief executive Mr David Li Kwok-po, property tycoon Mr Li Ka-shing, and the former chairman of the Stock Exchange Ronald Li Fook-shiu.

Hongkong’s elder statesman of business Lord Kadoorie made a brief appearance with Mr Yu Ching-po, managing director of Kumagai Gumi (Hongkong), which lost $50 million in building the 70-storey tower.
However, the building’s celebrated architect, Mr I.M. Pei was not there although he was given a special mention of thanks by Mr Wang Deyan.
Mainland companies turned out in force, however, to support their main provider of capital. President of Everbright Holdings and former deputy governor of the People s Bank, Ms Qiu Qing was there as was the managing director of China Merchants, Mr Jiang Bo.

China’s Premier Mr Li Peng, President Mr Yang Shangkun and the General-Secretary Mr Jiang Zemin all sent congratulatory messages.


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From our archives

Hong Kong’s iconic Bank of China Tower opens in 1990 – SCMP archive

The historic Bank of China building (centre) flanked by the tower under construction (left) in 1988. Photo: P Y Tang

Mr Wang Deyan (second from left), President of the Bank of China, and Mr Zhou Nan (centre), Director of the New China News Agency, perform the ribbon-cutting ceremony which marks the opening of the Bank of China Tower in 1990. Photo: SCMP

Local tycoon Li Ka-shing (left) on his way to attend the opening ceremony of the headquarters of the Bank of China in 1990. Photo: SCMP

William Purves, Chairman of the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, at the opening ceremony of the new headquarters of the Bank of China in 1990. Photo: SCMP

Financial Secretary Piers Jacobs making his way to attend the opening ceremony of the new headquarters of the Bank of China in 1990. Photo: SCMP

Wang Deyan (left), President of the Bank of China, and Zhou Nan, Director of the local branch of the New China News Agency, toasting the opening of the new headquarters of the Bank of China in 1990. Photo: SCMP

In 1946, Hong Kong’s governor Sir Mark Young returns after WWII – SCMP archive

Sir Mark Young (left) in an undated picture. He was serving as Hong Kong’s governor when the territory fell under Japanese occupation in 1941. Photo: SCMP Archive

A clipping from the front page of SCMP’s May 1, 1946 morning issue. Photo: SCMP

A look back on Queen Elizabeth II’s life, 100 years since her birth – from the SCMP archive

Queen Elizabeth II inspects the Royal Gurkha Rifles in Central during her second visit to Hong Kong on October 21, 1986. File photo: Howard Walker

The announcement of Queen Elizabeth’s birth on the April 22, 1926 issue of the South China Morning Post. Photo: SCMP

Princess Elizabeth, who would later become Queen Elizabeth II, plays with two corgi dogs at her home at 145 Piccadilly in London in July 1936. File photo: Getty Images

Queen Elizabeth II visits the HSBC headquarters in Central, accompanied by the bank’s then chairman Sir Michael Sandberg, on October 21, 1986. File photo: SCMP

A snapshot of the SCMP’s front page on October 23, 1986, during the queen’s second visit to Hong Kong. Photo: SCMP

Queen Elizabeth II visits the Sha Tin racecourse on October 22, 1986. File photo: SCMP

Queen Elizabeth II is accompanied by lawmaker Allen Lee Peng-fei during her visit to Hong Kong Polytechnic University on October 21, 1986. File photo: SCMP

King Charles III and members of the Royal family follow behind the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II after her state funeral, in London on September 19, 2022. File photo: AP

Hongkongers offer flowers to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth II outside the British Consulate in the city on September 10, 2022. Photo: AFP

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.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Opening 36 years ago today, the landmark skyscraper was Hong Kong’s tallest at the time

Acrimony set aside at Tower festivities

Opening 36 years ago today, the landmark skyscraper was Hong Kong’s tallest at the time