Li Ka-shing urges Asians to adopt culture of philanthropy
(AFP)
Updated: 2006-09-07 09:57 SINGAPORE - Asia's richest man
Li Ka-shing has urged Asians to adopt a culture of philanthropy, saying charity
is also a way of investing for the future.
"In Asia, our traditional values encourage and even demand that wealth and
means pass through lineage as an imperative duty," the Hong Kong business tycoon
said in Mandarin at the Forbes Global CEO Conference here Tuesday.
"I urge and hope to persuade you, especially all of us in Asia, that if we
are in a position to do so, that we transcend this traditional belief.
"Even if our government structure is as yet not geared towards supporting a
culture of giving, we must in our hearts see building society as a duty in line
with supporting our children."
Li spoke to the delegates after receiving a lifetime award in recognition of
his entrepreneurial achievements.
Last month, Li's company announced he had given personal holdings in a
healthcare company worth more than 300 million US dollars to his charitable
organisation, the Li Ka-shing Foundation.
Li has said previously he intended to give away a third of his estimated 12.4
billion US dollar fortune to charity.
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