The Hongs
Encyclopedia
The Hongs were major business houses in Canton
and later Hong Kong
with significant influence on patterns of consumerism
, trade, manufacturing and other key areas of the economy. They were originally led by Howqua
as head of the cohong
.
: hong4; literally, "row" or "profession") based in Canton. The Thirteen Factories
were the original Qing Dynasty
(1644–1911) merchants of China responsible for foreign trade under the aegis of the cohong.
The original Canton factories faded from the scene before they had any direct effect on Hong Kong's economic birth prior to the Opium Wars
with the advent of a second generation of hongs during the Colonial Hong Kong
era that were operated directly by foreign companies. Known as the "Foreign Hongs" , each had a Tai-pan
or boss and a comprador
responsible for dealings with Chinese merchants. One of the earliest Foreign Hongs established was Jardine Matheson & Co.
, who bought Lot No. 1 at the first Hong Kong land sale in 1841. In 1843 the same firm established a mainland China headquarters on the Bund
in Shanghai
, just south of the British Consulate. The building was known as "the Ewo Hong", or "Ewo House", based on the Cantonese pronunciation of the company's Chinese name (怡和行, Cantonese
:Yiwo Hong). Jardine's took the name from the earlier Ewo hong
run by Howqua
.
The term is most often used in reference to Colonial Hong Kong
companies directly. In the modern sense, the term is loosely used to describe influential Asian companies.
's and the Russell's. As a result, most sources credit the three as the original hongs.
Most of these firms became multinational corporations with management consisting of mostly European expatriates.
By the time of the handover of Hong Kong to China in 1997, many of the hongs had diversified their holdings and shifted their headquarters offshore away from Hong Kong to avoid any potential communist party
takeovers.
after 1997, but a few are now held by local Hong Kong Chinese businessmen.
Since the 1980s, a number of local Chinese and mainland Chinese firms (red chips) have challenged the control of the Hong Kong economy previously held by the British hongs:
Red Chips:
Local Tycoons:
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
and later Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
with significant influence on patterns of consumerism
Consumerism
Consumerism is a social and economic order that is based on the systematic creation and fostering of a desire to purchase goods and services in ever greater amounts. The term is often associated with criticisms of consumption starting with Thorstein Veblen...
, trade, manufacturing and other key areas of the economy. They were originally led by Howqua
Howqua
Howqua was the most important of the Hong merchants in the Thirteen Factories, head of the E-wo hong and leader of the Canton Cohong–Gong1 hong2 . He was once one of the richest men in the world.-Biography:...
as head of the cohong
Cohong
The Cohong, often spelled as kehang or gonghang, was the Chinese import-export monopoly in Guangzhou during the Qing dynasty...
.
Origin
Prior to the establishment of Hong Kong, the name hong was given to major business houses using the Chinese word ' onMouseout='HidePop("35733")' href="/topics/Jyutping">jyutpingJyutping
Jyutping is a romanization system for Cantonese developed by the Linguistic Society of Hong Kong in 1993. Its formal name is The Linguistic Society of Hong Kong Cantonese Romanization Scheme...
: hong4; literally, "row" or "profession") based in Canton. The Thirteen Factories
Thirteen Factories
The Thirteen Factories was an area of Canton , China, where the first foreign trade was allowed in the 18th century since the hai jin ban on maritime activities...
were the original Qing Dynasty
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
(1644–1911) merchants of China responsible for foreign trade under the aegis of the cohong.
The original Canton factories faded from the scene before they had any direct effect on Hong Kong's economic birth prior to the Opium Wars
Opium Wars
The Opium Wars, also known as the Anglo-Chinese Wars, divided into the First Opium War from 1839 to 1842 and the Second Opium War from 1856 to 1860, were the climax of disputes over trade and diplomatic relations between China under the Qing Dynasty and the British Empire...
with the advent of a second generation of hongs during the Colonial Hong Kong
Colonial Hong Kong
In the 19th century the British, Dutch, French, Indians and Americans saw Imperial China as the world's largest untapped market. In 1840 the British Empire launched their first and one of the most aggressive expeditionary forces to claim the territory that would later be known as Hong Kong.In a few...
era that were operated directly by foreign companies. Known as the "Foreign Hongs" , each had a Tai-pan
Tai-Pan
The term tai-pan was originally used to describe a foreign businessman in China or Hong Kong in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The Cantonese colloquialism is now used in a more general sense for business executives of any origin...
or boss and a comprador
Comprador
Comprador or Compradore is a term used to describe native managers of European business houses in East Asia.-History:...
responsible for dealings with Chinese merchants. One of the earliest Foreign Hongs established was Jardine Matheson & Co.
Jardine Matheson Holdings
Jardine Matheson Holdings Limited often referred to as Jardines, is a multinational corporation incorporated in Bermuda and based in Hong Kong. While listed on the London Stock Exchange and the Singapore Exchange, the vast majority of Jardines shares are traded in Singapore...
, who bought Lot No. 1 at the first Hong Kong land sale in 1841. In 1843 the same firm established a mainland China headquarters on the Bund
The Bund
The Bund is a waterfront area in central Shanghai, People's Republic of China. The area centres on a section of Zhongshan Road within the former Shanghai International Settlement, which runs along the western bank of the Huangpu River, facing Pudong, in the eastern part of Huangpu District...
in Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
, just south of the British Consulate. The building was known as "the Ewo Hong", or "Ewo House", based on the Cantonese pronunciation of the company's Chinese name (怡和行, Cantonese
Cantonese
Cantonese is a dialect spoken primarily in south China.Cantonese may also refer to:* Yue Chinese, the Chinese language that includes Cantonese* Cantonese cuisine, the cuisine of Guangdong province...
:Yiwo Hong). Jardine's took the name from the earlier Ewo hong
Ewo (hong)
The Ewo Hong ; Cantonese: yi wo hong) was a Qing Dynasty hong established by Wǔ Guóyíng in Canton in 1783 and later became the leader of the cohong of the Thirteen Factories under the stewardship of Howqua, who took over in 1803...
run by Howqua
Howqua
Howqua was the most important of the Hong merchants in the Thirteen Factories, head of the E-wo hong and leader of the Canton Cohong–Gong1 hong2 . He was once one of the richest men in the world.-Biography:...
.
The term is most often used in reference to Colonial Hong Kong
Colonial Hong Kong
In the 19th century the British, Dutch, French, Indians and Americans saw Imperial China as the world's largest untapped market. In 1840 the British Empire launched their first and one of the most aggressive expeditionary forces to claim the territory that would later be known as Hong Kong.In a few...
companies directly. In the modern sense, the term is loosely used to describe influential Asian companies.
History
Prior to any banking institutions other than small foreign bank branches, the three firms that financed most of Hong Kong's economic activities were the Jardine's, DentDent & Co.
Dent & Co. or Dent's, was one of the wealthiest British merchant firms, or hongs, active in China during the 19th century. The company was a direct rival to Jardine, Matheson & Co...
's and the Russell's. As a result, most sources credit the three as the original hongs.
Most of these firms became multinational corporations with management consisting of mostly European expatriates.
By the time of the handover of Hong Kong to China in 1997, many of the hongs had diversified their holdings and shifted their headquarters offshore away from Hong Kong to avoid any potential communist party
Communist Party of China
The Communist Party of China , also known as the Chinese Communist Party , is the founding and ruling political party of the People's Republic of China...
takeovers.
Conglomerates of colonial Hong Kong
Note: Below are lists of companies that had a predominant effect on Hong Kong's economy at a particular era. Their noteworthiness is debatable. The official names of the era are used.1843
- 12 large British firms
- 10 small British merchants
- Six IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n Parsee companies - including D.M. Rustomjee - One American company - Augustine Heard and CompanyAugustine Heard and CompanyAugustine Heard and Company was a major nineteenth century American trading firm in China whose operations consisted in importing and exporting a large array of goods, including tea and opium.- History and leadership:...
1844
- Jardine MathesonHistory of Jardine, Matheson & Co.Jardine Matheson & Co., later Jardine Matheson & Co. Ltd., forerunner of today's Jardine Matheson Holdings, was a Far Eastern trading company founded in 1832 with Scotsmen William Jardine and James Matheson as senior partners...
- Dent & Co.Dent & Co.Dent & Co. or Dent's, was one of the wealthiest British merchant firms, or hongs, active in China during the 19th century. The company was a direct rival to Jardine, Matheson & Co...
- Russell & CoSamuel RussellSamuel Wadsworth Russell, born in Middletown, Connecticut , was an American entrepreneur and trader, and founder of Russell & Company, the largest and most important American trading house in China from 1842 to its closing in 1891.- Early life :Orphaned at the age of 12, Russell did not receive any...
- US company founded by Samuel Russell for the opium trade; merged with Perkins of Boston in 1830
1860s
- Gilman and Bowman - established by Richard James Gilman as a tea trader in 1840; taken over by Duncan Paterson of Australia 1917 and turned into a privately held company; bought by Inchcape GroupInchcape plcInchcape plc is a multinational automotive retail and services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It has operations in 26 countries across Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe and South America....
in 1969 - Hong Kong and China Gas CompanyThe Hong Kong and China Gas Company LimitedThe Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited , commonly known as Towngas, is the sole provider of towngas in Hong Kong. Founded in 1862, it is one of the oldest listed companies in the territory....
1870s
- Butterfield and SwireSwire GroupThe Swire Group is a transnational corporation headquartered in the Swire House in the City of Westminster, London, England. It controls a range of wholly owned businesses, including deep-sea shipping, cold storage, road transport, and agricultural activities. The current chairman is James...
- Jardine Matheson
- Adamson Bell and Company; transformed into Dodwell, Carlill & Co. in 1891 by George Benjamin Dodwell; bought by Inchcape GroupInchcape plcInchcape plc is a multinational automotive retail and services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It has operations in 26 countries across Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe and South America....
in 1972 - The Wharf (Holdings)The Wharf (Holdings)The Wharf Limited , or Wharf in short, is a company founded in 1886 in Hong Kong. As its name suggests, the company's original business was in running wharfage and dockside warehousing, and it was originally known as The Hongkong and Kowloon Wharf and Godown Company, Limited...
1890s
- Jardine Matheson
- Russell & Co.
- SwireSwire GroupThe Swire Group is a transnational corporation headquartered in the Swire House in the City of Westminster, London, England. It controls a range of wholly owned businesses, including deep-sea shipping, cold storage, road transport, and agricultural activities. The current chairman is James...
- Jebsen & Co.
1900s
- Hongkong ElectricHongkong ElectricPower Assets Holdings Limited is a vertically integrated electric utility company. Its subsidiary Hongkong Electric Company was the first company to provide electricity in Hong Kong. The service has been running in continuation since the 19th century...
- Hong Kong Land - Catchick Paul ChaterCatchick Paul ChaterSir Catchick Paul Chater, CMG , was a prominent British businessman of Armenian descent in colonial Hong Kong.-Early life:...
, James Johnstone KeswickKeswick familyThe Keswick family are a business dynasty of Scottish origin associated with the Far East since 1855 and in particular the conglomerate Jardine Matheson.... - Gibb LivingstonInchcape plcInchcape plc is a multinational automotive retail and services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It has operations in 26 countries across Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe and South America....
- Thomas Augustus Gibb, William Potter Livingston*8 - China Light and PowerChina Light and PowerThe CLP Group and its holding company, CLP Holdings Ltd , is a Hong Kong electric company that businesses in a number of Asian markets and Australia....
1960s
- Butterfield and SwireSwire GroupThe Swire Group is a transnational corporation headquartered in the Swire House in the City of Westminster, London, England. It controls a range of wholly owned businesses, including deep-sea shipping, cold storage, road transport, and agricultural activities. The current chairman is James...
- HutchisonHutchison WhampoaHutchison Whampoa Limited or HWL of Hong Kong is a Fortune 500 company and one of the largest companies listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. HWL is an international corporation with a diverse array of holdings which includes the world's biggest port and telecommunication operations in 14...
- Sir John Douglas Clague
1970s
- The Hong Kong and Kowloon Wharf and Godown CompanyThe Wharf (Holdings)The Wharf Limited , or Wharf in short, is a company founded in 1886 in Hong Kong. As its name suggests, the company's original business was in running wharfage and dockside warehousing, and it was originally known as The Hongkong and Kowloon Wharf and Godown Company, Limited...
- Jardine Matheson
1980s
- The Hong Kong and Kowloon Wharf and Godown CompanyThe Wharf (Holdings)The Wharf Limited , or Wharf in short, is a company founded in 1886 in Hong Kong. As its name suggests, the company's original business was in running wharfage and dockside warehousing, and it was originally known as The Hongkong and Kowloon Wharf and Godown Company, Limited...
- Jardine Matheson
- Swire GroupSwire GroupThe Swire Group is a transnational corporation headquartered in the Swire House in the City of Westminster, London, England. It controls a range of wholly owned businesses, including deep-sea shipping, cold storage, road transport, and agricultural activities. The current chairman is James...
- John Henry BremridgeJohn Henry BremridgeSir John Henry Bremridge , KBE, JP, MA was Financial Secretary of Hong Kong from 1981 to 1986. He was the first Financial Secretary who was not a civil servant. Before serving as Financial Secretary, he was a senior member of staff in the Swire Group and non-executive director of Schroders... - HutchisonHutchison WhampoaHutchison Whampoa Limited or HWL of Hong Kong is a Fortune 500 company and one of the largest companies listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. HWL is an international corporation with a diverse array of holdings which includes the world's biggest port and telecommunication operations in 14...
- Li Ka-shing - Wheelock MardenWheelock & CoWheelock and Company Limited is a Chinese financial real estate company based in Hong Kong. It was listed as #1249 on the Forbes 2000 list.The Group's principal activities are property investment, property development, property management and agency, and investment holding. The Group also involved...
- John L Marden; Yue-Kong PaoYue-Kong PaoSir Yue-Kong Pao CBE, JP , often referred to as "Sir Y.K. Pao" or just "Y.K.", was the founder of Hong Kong's World-Wide Shipping Group which in the 20 years from purchasing its first second-hand ship in 1955 became by far the largest shipping company in the world with over...
1985
1990s
- Jardine Matheson
- Hutchison WhampoaHutchison WhampoaHutchison Whampoa Limited or HWL of Hong Kong is a Fortune 500 company and one of the largest companies listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. HWL is an international corporation with a diverse array of holdings which includes the world's biggest port and telecommunication operations in 14...
- Li Ka-shing - Wheelock Marden (now Wheelock & CoWheelock & CoWheelock and Company Limited is a Chinese financial real estate company based in Hong Kong. It was listed as #1249 on the Forbes 2000 list.The Group's principal activities are property investment, property development, property management and agency, and investment holding. The Group also involved...
) - Peter WooPeter WooPeter Woo Kwong Ching GBS, JP MBA is Chairman of Wheelock and Company Limited and The Wharf Holdings Limited.-Education and career:... - Swire GroupSwire GroupThe Swire Group is a transnational corporation headquartered in the Swire House in the City of Westminster, London, England. It controls a range of wholly owned businesses, including deep-sea shipping, cold storage, road transport, and agricultural activities. The current chairman is James...
Post-handover
The old British hongs continue to operate in Hong KongHong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
after 1997, but a few are now held by local Hong Kong Chinese businessmen.
- Jardine Matheson HoldingsJardine Matheson HoldingsJardine Matheson Holdings Limited often referred to as Jardines, is a multinational corporation incorporated in Bermuda and based in Hong Kong. While listed on the London Stock Exchange and the Singapore Exchange, the vast majority of Jardines shares are traded in Singapore...
headquartered in Hong KongHong KongHong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and incorporated in BermudaBermudaBermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
- Hongkong LandHongkong LandHongkong Land is one of Asia’s leading property investment, management and development groups with premium commercial and residential property interests across the region. It owns and manages some five million square feet of commercial space in Hong Kong’s Central Business District serving...
- Dairy Farm International HoldingsDairy Farm International HoldingsDairy Farm International Holdings Limited is a retail company in Asia, with a legal base in Bermuda. A member of the Jardine Matheson Group, it is a leading pan-Asian retailer which processes food, wholesales food and personal hygiene products in the Pacific region and in China. Jardine Strategic,...
- Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group
- Jardine Cycle & CarriageJardine Cycle & CarriageJardine Cycle and Carriage Limited was renamed from Cycle and Carriage following the integration into the Jardine Matheson Group in 2004. The name change recognises Cycle & Carriage's distinguished 104-year operating history and firmly establishes Jardine Cycle & Carriage as part of the Jardine...
- Astra InternationalAstra InternationalAstra International was founded in 1957, based on a small trading business operated by brothers Tjia Kian Tie and William Soeryadjaya. The family had begun its trading activities by the 1940s, initially operated as a distributor of fruit juices and other agricultural and grocery goods, before...
- Jardine Lloyd Thompson GroupJardine Lloyd Thompson GroupJardine Lloyd Thompson Group is a leading British-based insurance and re-insurance business. It is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.-History:...
- Jardine Pacific
- Jardine Motors Group
- Jardine Strategic
- Hongkong Land
- Hutchison WhampoaHutchison WhampoaHutchison Whampoa Limited or HWL of Hong Kong is a Fortune 500 company and one of the largest companies listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. HWL is an international corporation with a diverse array of holdings which includes the world's biggest port and telecommunication operations in 14...
- Li Ka-shing- Hongkong ElectricHongkong ElectricPower Assets Holdings Limited is a vertically integrated electric utility company. Its subsidiary Hongkong Electric Company was the first company to provide electricity in Hong Kong. The service has been running in continuation since the 19th century...
- Hongkong Electric
- Wheelock Marden
- Swire GroupSwire GroupThe Swire Group is a transnational corporation headquartered in the Swire House in the City of Westminster, London, England. It controls a range of wholly owned businesses, including deep-sea shipping, cold storage, road transport, and agricultural activities. The current chairman is James...
- HQ in both Hong KongHong KongHong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and London, England - The Wharf (Holdings)The Wharf (Holdings)The Wharf Limited , or Wharf in short, is a company founded in 1886 in Hong Kong. As its name suggests, the company's original business was in running wharfage and dockside warehousing, and it was originally known as The Hongkong and Kowloon Wharf and Godown Company, Limited...
- Henderson Land DevelopmentHenderson Land DevelopmentHenderson Land Development Co. Ltd. is a listed property company and a constituent of the Hang Seng Index. The company's principal activities are property development and investment, project management, construction, hotel operation, department store operation, finance, investment holding and...
- Lee Shau KeeLee Shau KeeLee Shau-kee GBM is a property developer and majority owner of Henderson Land Development , a property conglomerate with interests in properties, hotels, restaurants and internet services...
- The Hong Kong and China Gas Company LimitedThe Hong Kong and China Gas Company LimitedThe Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited , commonly known as Towngas, is the sole provider of towngas in Hong Kong. Founded in 1862, it is one of the oldest listed companies in the territory....
- The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited
Since the 1980s, a number of local Chinese and mainland Chinese firms (red chips) have challenged the control of the Hong Kong economy previously held by the British hongs:
Red Chips:
- CITIC PacificCITIC PacificCITIC Pacific is a Hong Kong-based conglomerate holding company headquartered in the CITIC Tower, Admiralty, Hong Kong. It is 58% owned by the state-owned Citic Group in Beijing and has shareholders around the world.-Business areas:...
- Larry Yung Chi KinLarry Yung Chi KinLarry Yung Chi-kin , also often called Rong Zhijian in mainland China, was the chairman of CITIC Pacific, a Hong Kong-based conglomerate. According to Forbes Magazine, he is one of the wealthiest person in mainland China, with a personal net worth of $2.2 billion US dollars as of March, 2007.... - China ResourcesChina ResourcesChina Resources is a group of companies in a wide variety of businesses in Hong Kong and mainland China. Some of its companies use the name in the form of the acronym CRC....
(1938 as Liow & Company) - China Merchants Group - owned by the government of the People's Republic of ChinaPeople's Republic of ChinaChina , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
. - COSCOCOSCOChina Ocean Shipping Company, known as COSCO or COSCO Group, is one of the largest liner shipping companies worldwide. It is a government owned company of the People's Republic of China...
- owned by the government of the People's Republic of China
Local Tycoons:
- Sino GroupSino GroupSino Group is one of the largest property companies in Hong Kong. The Group comprises private holding companies owned by the Ng family, and three publicly listed companies:*Tsim Sha Tsui Properties Limited*Sino Land Company Limited...
- Li & FungLi & FungLi & Fung Limited is a global trading group, based in Hong Kong, that supplies high-volume, time-sensitive consumer goods. Garments make up around two-thirds of the Li & Fung business which also covers the sourcing of hardgoods such as fashion accessories, furnishings, gifts, handicrafts, home...
(1906) - Victor FungVictor FungVictor Fung Kwok-king , GBS , is the Group Chairman of Li & Fung group of companies. Together with his brother William, he owns a controlling stake of 32% in the business, which was founded by his grandfather.... - New World DevelopmentNew World DevelopmentNew World Development Company Limited , based in Hong Kong, is active in property, infrastructure, services and telecommunications. It was established in 1970 with Dr Ho Sin Hang as Chairman and Chow Chi Yuen as Director and General Manager...
/Chow Tai Fook - Cheng Yu-tungCheng Yu-tungCheng Yu-tung GBM is a Hong Kong billionaire with extensive business dealings and real estate interests in both Hong Kong and Macau. He owns the privately-held Chow Tai Fook Enterprises, a conglomerate which operates the Sheraton Marina hotel and controls the publicly listed New World group... - Hang Lung GroupHang Lung GroupHang Lung Group , established in 1960, is a private listed company in Hong Kong, engaging in property development for sales and leasing, car park management, property management and dry-cleaning businesses. Its subsidiary is Hang Lung Properties, was one of the largest property developers in Hong...
- Ronald Chan - Sun Hung Kai Properties (1969) - Kwok Brothers
- Cheung Kong Holdings (1950s) - Li Ka-shing
- PCCWPCCWPCCW Limited is the holding company of HKT Group Holdings Limited, Hong Kong's premier telecommunications provider in the Information and Communications Technologies industry. PCCW also holds a majority interest in Pacific Century Premium Developments Limited...
- Richard LiRichard LiRichard Li Tzar Kai is the younger son of successful entrepreneur Li Ka-Shing and brother of Victor Li.Li was 26th in the Forbes List of Hong Kong’s 40 Richest people for 2010...
See also
- Economy of Hong KongEconomy of Hong KongAs one of the world's leading international financial centres, Hong Kong has a major capitalist service economy characterised by low taxation and free trade, and the currency, Hong Kong dollar, is the ninth most traded currency in the world. Hong Kong has remained as the world's freest economy,...
- Nam Pak HongNam Pak HongThe Nam Pak Hong , also Nam Pei Hong and Nam Bac Hang was a combination of individual hongs, or trading houses, the traditional form of business organization in China...
- The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation
- Hang Seng IndexHang Seng IndexThe Hang Seng Index is a freefloat-adjusted market capitalization-weighted stock market index in Hong Kong. It is used to record and monitor daily changes of the largest companies of the Hong Kong stock market and is the main indicator of the overall market performance in Hong Kong...
- Old China TradeOld China TradeThe Old China Trade was the name given to the early commerce between the Qing Empire and the United States under the Canton System, spanning from shortly after the end of the American Revolutionary War in 1783 to the Treaty of Wanghsia in 1844...
- Sogo shoshaSogo shosha' means general trading companies, a business entity unique to Japan trading a wide range of products and materials. In addition to trading, they have historically acted as investment banks and private equities. Sōgō shōsha may be better described as a business philosophy than with a visual model...
, Japan - ZaibatsuZaibatsuis a Japanese term referring to industrial and financial business conglomerates in the Empire of Japan, whose influence and size allowed for control over significant parts of the Japanese economy from the Meiji period until the end of World War II.-Terminology:...
, Japan - KeiretsuKeiretsuA is a set of companies with interlocking business relationships and shareholdings. It is a type of business group. The keiretsu has maintained dominance over the Japanese economy for the greater half of the twentieth century....
, Japan - ChaebolChaebolChaebol refers to a South Korean form of business conglomerate. They are global multinationals owning numerous international enterprises. The term is often used in a context similar to that of the English word "conglomerate"...
, South Korea - Four big families of Hong KongFour big families of Hong KongThe Four big families of Hong Kong are an initial group of families in the late 19th century Colonial Hong Kong era. They were responsible for much of the foundations of the territory including its economy, finance, trade and law. The four big families begin with the Chinese surname Li, Ho, Hui...
Further reading
- Waters, Dan. "Hong Kong Hongs with Long Histories and British Connections", Paper presented at the 12th Conference of the International Association of Historians of Asia, at Hong Kong University (June 1991); http://sunzi1.lib.hku.hk/hkjo/view/44/4401691.pdf