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Chan Wing Kee
Chan Wing Kee
Managing Director, Yangtzekiang Garment Limited
Sex: Male Birthyear: 1947 Age at Interview: 64 Education: University Occupation: Industrialist Theme: Industry Witnessing all the crests and troughs of his family in childhood, new residence became smaller an...WK Chan was born in Hong Kong. He lived in a luxurious house in Tung Shan Terrace in Happy Valley during his childhood. Having fallen into a plight, WK Chan’s family moved to Fort Street and Kai Yuen Terrace in North Point successively. Their new residence became smaller and smaller. When in Kai Yuen Terrace, the old and new generations of the families of the two Chan brothers lived together. There were over a dozen children in the house then.
Title Witnessing all the crests and troughs of his family in childhood, new residence became smaller and smaller Date 14/06/2011 Subject Industry Duration 1m21s Language Cantonese Material Type Audio Collection Oral History Archives Repository Hong Kong Memory Project Note to Copyright Copyright owned by Hong Kong Memory Project Accession No. LKF-CWK-HLT-001 When WK Chan was studying Secondary 4, he and his younger brother went to Thailand to live with their father. He considered that he could barely get into The University of Hong Kong due to his education at a Chinese-medium secondary school. English language would also hinder him from studying in Britain and America’s universities. He studied at an international school in Thailand in order to improve his English. Later WK Chan obtained a Bachelor’s degree in the USA. In retrospect of his career, he believed that going to Thailand was a turning point.
Title Determining to study in Thailand as a turning point of his career Date 14/06/2011 Subject Industry Duration 1m34s Language Cantonese Material Type Audio Collection Oral History Archives Repository Hong Kong Memory Project Note to Copyright Copyright owned by Hong Kong Memory Project Accession No. LKF-CWK-HLT-002 Having finished his high school education in Thailand, WK Chan furthered his studies in the USA. He studied industrial engineering out of his determination to assist with the family’s factory. Businesses of the Chans scattered in three different places. A garment factory ran in Hong Kong. A bamboo curtain factory ran in Thailand. And a hemp bag factory ran in Taiwan. Many choices were offered to him.
Title Studying industrial engineering in the USA out of his determination to assist with the family’s factory Date 14/06/2011 Subject Industry Duration 54s Language Cantonese Material Type Audio Collection Oral History Archives Repository Hong Kong Memory Project Note to Copyright Copyright owned by Hong Kong Memory Project Accession No. LKF-CWK-HLT-003 The Chan family gathered at Brussels to enjoy hairy crabs while participating in an international...The Chan family had their members stationed in different plants for management. Whenever a quota negotiation was initiated between an Asian and a European country, it was the right time for family meetings. In the early 1980s, a conference was convened in Brussels, which Chan Sui Kau, Chan Wing Kee and Chan Wing To attended on behalf of Hong Kong, Macau and Singapore/Malaysia respectively. In those days many of the manufacturers were Shanghais who loved hairy crabs. Hairy crabs were then introduced in Brussels.
Title The Chan family gathered at Brussels to enjoy hairy crabs while participating in an international textile quota conference Date 14/06/2011 Subject Industry Duration 1m39s Language Cantonese Material Type Audio Collection Oral History Archives Repository Hong Kong Memory Project Note to Copyright Copyright owned by Hong Kong Memory Project Accession No. LKF-CWK-HLT-004 Setting up a plant in remote towns on Indian-Pakistani border was like going back to the times of...WK Chan once looked for sites for setting up plants for the company all around the world. Travelling in many undeveloped countries became his eye-openers. He once travelled to India for negotiations on plant setup, and was planning to have an inspection in a small town on the Indian-Pakistani border called Lydia. On the way, he stayed overnight in a small town called Bujj, where city walls were still erected. The inn he stayed in had a stable on the ground floor. WK Chan sighed that it was like going back to the times of the Bible to do business in remote towns.
Title Setting up a plant in remote towns on Indian-Pakistani border was like going back to the times of the Bible Date 14/06/2011 Subject Industry Duration 1m11s Language Cantonese Material Type Audio Collection Oral History Archives Repository Hong Kong Memory Project Note to Copyright Copyright owned by Hong Kong Memory Project Accession No. LKF-CWK-HLT-005 Lamenting over his failure to apply his professional skills to the management of YGMdespite of hi...WK Chan joined Yangtzekiang Garment Mfrs in 1970 as the manager of the Shirt Department. He lamented over his failure to apply his professional skills to the management of the factory despite his background in Industrial Engineering. He could only reply on senior staff’s experience, which hindered the company from achieving scientific management.
Title Lamenting over his failure to apply his professional skills to the management of YGMdespite of his background in Industrial Engineering Date 14/06/2011 Subject Industry Duration 40s Language Cantonese Material Type Audio Collection Oral History Archives Repository Hong Kong Memory Project Note to Copyright Copyright owned by Hong Kong Memory Project Accession No. LKF-CWK-HLT-006