"As a Chinese, I feel deeply proud and honored."

Amidst the grand celebration of the 70th anniversary of the motherland, 69-year-old Allan Zeman stood on the reviewing stand with tears of excitement glistening in his eyes.

This Jewish billionaire, who is not only the creator of the iconic Lan Kwai Fong in Hong Kong but also the revitalizer of the Hong Kong Ocean Park, stands tall at the pinnacle of Hong Kong's political and business circles with a foreign face.

He has been awarded the Grand Bauhinia Medal by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and has become a key member of the Chief Executive's Advisory Group.As early as 2008, Allan Zeman made a surprising decision; he renounced his Canadian and American citizenship to become a citizen of China.

He said, "China will be the future of the world. That's why I chose to become Chinese, because I like to be with the winners."

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When it comes to Allan Zeman, his name is a household word in the business circles of Hong Kong, known to everyone.

Born in 1950 with Jewish heritage, Allan Zeman was born in Germany and, at a young age, he moved across the ocean with his parents to settle in the bustling New York.

At the age of seven, the sudden death of his father brought a heavy blow to the family, plunging their lives into hardship. He and his mother had to embark on another journey, this time to Quebec, Canada.At a young age, Michael Kadoorie had already understood the hardships of life. To alleviate his mother's financial burden, he started working at the age of just 10.

In addition to attending school, Michael Kadoorie would deliver newspapers through the streets and alleys every morning, and on weekends, he worked odd jobs in restaurants, such as washing dishes and wiping tables. Despite the hard work, he was able to earn 60 Canadian dollars a month, which was enough to support himself.

In this way, through his efforts and hard work, Michael Kadoorie gradually emerged from his difficult situation. At the age of 16, he bought a Chevrolet convertible, becoming the first student in his school to own a car.

Upon graduating from high school, Michael Kadoorie was eager to make money and chose to enter the workforce instead of pursuing further education.

By a stroke of luck, Michael Kadoorie stepped through the doors of a fashion company.He was efficient in handling affairs, and his work performance was exceptionally outstanding, quickly earning the appreciation and promotion from his boss. Within just a few years, Michael Kadoorie had already earned 1 million Canadian dollars.

Because Michael Kadoorie was mainly responsible for purchasing garments imported from Hong Kong at the company, this job also forged an indissoluble bond between him and Hong Kong.

At the age of 19, Michael Kadoorie set foot on Hong Kong for the first time, a place reputed as "paved with gold."

When the plane landed steadily at Kai Tak Airport, he was awestruck by the dense, towering skyscrapers that stretched into the clouds before his eyes.Already well-integrated into society, he, with his rich experiences, keenly sensed that the city of Hong Kong was vibrant and full of vitality. He firmly believed that this was his future "gold mine."

Michael Zee discovered a significant business opportunity: the import tariffs in Canada were as high as 50%, while in Hong Kong, the tariffs were relatively low, at only 15%.

This difference in tax rates made Michael Zee realize that doing business in Hong Kong would have greater profit potential than in Canada.

When the fashion company owner learned of Michael Zee's determination to go to Hong Kong to carve out a new realm, he not only highly praised Michael Zee's courage but also promised to finance his business endeavors.

In 1969, at the age of 19, Michael Zee moved to Hong Kong with his mother, using the first fortune he earned in Canada to embark on a new commercial journey.In the 1960s, Hong Kong was in the golden age of the textile and garment industries.

Arriving in Hong Kong, Silas Chou, leveraging his experience from Canada, founded Colby Trading Company, focusing on procuring clothing from China and exporting it to Canada and the United Kingdom.

Due to low export tariffs and ample market profit margins, the trading company soon got on the right track.

In 1978, as the spring breeze blew, the mainland welcomed a vibrant period. Many Hong Kong garment factories realized that the inexpensive raw materials and labor force on the mainland would significantly reduce the costs of manufacturing, so they moved to the mainland one after another.Michael Zee also began to consider purchasing ready-made garments from mainland China, exporting them overseas through Hong Kong. At that time, the direct train tickets that had been suspended for more than 30 years had just been resumed, making them extremely difficult to obtain.

After overcoming numerous challenges, Michael Zee finally managed to purchase a green hard seat train ticket. He took a 14-hour journey from Hong Kong to Changsha, Hunan, for an on-site inspection to find suitable suppliers.

Soon, he was not only moved by the diligence and enthusiasm of the people in Changsha but also saw the immense potential of the mainland's manufacturing industry. Michael Zee decided to open an office there.

Since then, Michael Zee has frequently traveled between mainland China and Hong Kong.

As the business continued to expand, Michael Zee started to focus on the global market. He successively established offices in South Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines, and other places.In the 1980s, Colby Trading Company's business had already spanned the globe, with 30 offices established worldwide.

Michael Kwok, who had been in the garment business for a long time, met many young business clients who often complained about the difficulty of finding places to have a drink in Hong Kong, as they had to go to hotels, which was very inconvenient.

With a keen businessman's sense, Kwok spotted the business opportunity right in front of him. Since Hong Kong is an international metropolis, bars could also be set up in the bustling downtown areas.

In 1981, he rented a restaurant located in Lan Kwai Fong, Central, and named it California.

This restaurant had a unique charm, exuding the enticing aroma of delicious food during the day, and after nightfall, it transformed into an intoxicating bar.To everyone's surprise, within just a few months, the bar became immensely popular, not only attracting a large number of foreign friends to patronize it, but also drawing the attention of several celebrities and models who went there by reputation.

Despite the innovative model of the restaurant and bar bringing business opportunities to Allan Zeman, he did not stop there.

He noticed that in Tokyo, Japan, where land is extremely valuable, restaurants and karaoke bars successfully opened inside buildings. Inspired by this model, Zeman invested 32 million Hong Kong dollars to purchase an entire building in Hong Kong and renovated it.

Seeing that the bar business was more promising than the clothing business, Zeman sold the Colby business to the then competitor, Li & Fung Group, for 2.2 billion Hong Kong dollars at the end of 2000.

He cashed out all his funds and turned to invest in the bar business.Continuing, Michael Kadoorie kept acquiring properties around the area, becoming the major landlord of Lan Kwai Fong.

Lan Kwai Fong is bustling every day, with a constant stream of customers, and it is inevitable that many people get drunk, yet Michael Kadoorie himself is very disciplined and abstains from alcohol, insisting on drinking only plain water no matter where he is.

Michael Kadoorie's sobriety and self-discipline have earned him respect and praise, and he is hailed as the "Father of Lan Kwai Fong."

He meticulously planned and successfully created a commercial entertainment and leisure paradise that integrates restaurants and bars, and this area later became widely renowned, turning into the famous "Bar Street" in Hong Kong.

He not only made Lan Kwai Fong a place of cultural openness and inclusiveness in Hong Kong but also extended its spirit to Mainland China.In 2009, Chengdu welcomed the first entry of Lan Kwai Fong, followed by Haikou, Wuxi, and Shanghai, which successively became part of this cultural map.

In 2019, Xi'an reached a strategic cooperation with the Lan Kwai Fong Group, setting a new milestone for Lan Kwai Fong's development in mainland China with an investment of up to 10 billion and a vast scale covering 900 acres.

In 2003, Hong Kong Ocean Park suffered financial losses for four consecutive years, with annual losses exceeding 200 million Hong Kong dollars. The park's facilities were outdated, with less than 100,000 visitors per month, and it faced the challenge of Disney's imminent entry into Hong Kong.

Some even proposed the idea of closing this "local" theme park, which represents Hong Kong.Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa did not give up on his efforts to save Ocean Park. He sent six consecutive messages to the business genius Sir Michael Kadoorie, sincerely inviting him to come out of retirement and assist.

Initially, Sir Michael Kadoorie modestly declined the Chief Executive's invitation, stating that he had no experience in the operation of theme parks and did not know where to start.

However, the story did not end there. After much contemplation, Sir Michael gradually realized the importance of Ocean Park to Hong Kong.

Despite feeling inadequate confidence in the face of such a complex project, he decided to personally visit Ocean Park for a comprehensive inspection. During the inspection, he learned that if he did not take on the role, the Chief Executive might assign former Chief Secretary for Administration Stephen Lam to take over.

He straightforwardly expressed his stance to the Chief Executive: "Relying on Stephen Lam? I don't think he's up to the task. Either you trust me and hand over this important responsibility to me, or you might as well just close the park?"Subsequently, Michael Kadoorie made a firm commitment:

"I want Ocean Park to not only be a pride of Hong Kong, but also a global focal point. I want every person who mentions the world of oceans to first think of Hong Kong's unique Ocean Park."

After taking on the role of head of Ocean Park, Michael Kadoorie acted swiftly, well aware that an efficient management team is crucial for the operation of the park.

He carefully selected a group of experienced and passionate professionals to form a brand-new management team.

In order to enhance the facilities of Ocean Park, Michael Kadoorie actively applied for a funding allocation of 10 billion Hong Kong dollars from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's senior officials. He used these funds to construct several eye-catching facilities, including a massive underwater tunnel, a realistic polar exploration hall, and a fun-filled children's playground.Additionally, Michael Kadoorie places great emphasis on enhancing the entertainment experience for visitors. He personally planned a series of colorful entertainment activities, including marine animal performances, night-time light shows, and parent-child interactive games, among others.

Michael Kadoorie even took to the stage himself, dressing up in a powder blue jumpsuit to impersonate a jellyfish, interacting amicably with visitors, answering their questions, and sharing knowledge about the ocean.

This move not only surprised and delighted the visitors but also demonstrated the affability and sense of responsibility that Michael Kadoorie possesses as the person in charge of the ocean park.

Under Michael Kadoorie's leadership, the ocean park has been revitalized with unprecedented vitality and dynamism. It has not only quickly emerged from its past quietude but has also become a tourist destination sought after by visitors from Hong Kong and around the globe, achieving a remarkable turnaround from losses to profitability.

What's more commendable is that during this period, Michael Kadoorie has not accepted a single cent in compensation from the ocean park.It is worth mentioning that at the same time, the competitor Hong Kong Disneyland was still incurring losses. In 2007, Ocean Park's visitor numbers surpassed those of Disneyland, and Allan Zeman was dubbed the "Mickey Mouse Killer."

In 2012, Ocean Park's visitor count reached a staggering 7 million, for which it was awarded the prestigious "Best Theme Park in the World" award, the highest honor in the global industry, and successfully made it onto Forbes magazine's list of the top ten theme parks worldwide.

Allan Zeman once joked, "Running Ocean Park, this honor even surpasses the pride I felt when I first created Lan Kwai Fong."

In recognition of his outstanding contributions to Hong Kong, in 2011 the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region awarded Allan Zeman the Grand Bauhinia Medal, a symbol of the highest honor.In 2008, Michael Szeto-Yuen decided to relinquish the much-coveted dual citizenship of the United States and Canada, opting to become a citizen of China.

It took him as long as eight months to persuade his family and solidify his determination to naturalize.

He said with deep emotion: "Most of my life has been spent in Mainland China and Hong Kong; this place has long become my home, and I prefer to consider myself Chinese."

Michael Szeto-Yuen has a strong sense of belonging to Hong Kong, and when he decided to become a Chinese citizen, this move shocked many people.Michael Kadoorie chose to become a Chinese citizen, not only for business interests, but more so because he personally witnessed the tremendous changes before and after Hong Kong's return and the booming prosperity of the mainland's development.

He once exclaimed, "Shenzhen used to be a small fishing village, and now it has become the world-renowned Silicon Valley. There is nothing impossible for China to achieve."

He often jokes that he is a "white-shelled, yellow-hearted" egg.

After joining Chinese nationality, he also experienced some amusing incidents, such as every time he crossed the border to the mainland, there were always staff members who directed him to the foreigners' channel. Michael Kadoorie had to show his Hong Kong Home Return Permit and explain that he is Chinese, which often surprised the other party.

What's more interesting is that, despite living in Hong Kong for many years, he still cannot understand Cantonese, let alone Mandarin.In 2019, Michael Kadoorie was invited to attend the 70th anniversary celebration of his motherland, and standing on the reviewing stand, he was so moved that he was in tears.

He often says, "I have never regretted becoming a citizen of China, and I am very proud to be Chinese."

With his outstanding achievements, Michael Kadoorie has become a successful model for foreigners developing in Hong Kong and has been widely recognized by the city.

Michael Kadoorie has been appointed as a policy advisor to the Special Administrative Region's management and many public institutions.

Having lived in Hong Kong for over forty years, his business empire spans across real estate, entertainment, gaming, innovative technology, and other fields, and he has successfully managed commercial, leisure, and media enterprises.In 2019, Michael Kadoorie turned his attention to Thailand, joining forces with Richard Li, son of Li Ka-shing, to develop an integrated project near the town of Thalang on the outskirts of Phuket, which includes a five-star hotel and luxury villas.

This move not only further expanded his business empire but also made him prominent in Thailand, where he was honored by the Thai official website as the "third richest man on Phuket Island."

In 2022, Stephen Wynn, known as the "King of Las Vegas," invited Michael Kadoorie to serve as the non-executive chairman of the Wynn Macau board.

Michael Kadoorie always cares about the future of Hong Kong. He is often invited to various campuses to share his wisdom and experience with the younger generation, becoming a guide on their path to growth.

The name Michael Kadoorie has long been more than just a commercial symbol in the vibrant land of Hong Kong. With his choices and actions, he has written a unique legend.While others were pursuing the "high-end" of nationalities, he chose the most down-to-earth Chinese nationality, a courage and determination that command admiration.

He is not just a successful businessman, but also a person with emotions, compassion, and loyalty.