The Consulate General of Italy in Hong Kong and Macao is pleased to announce that Mr. Hing Chao, Executive Chairman of Wah Kwong Maritime Transport Limited (“Wah Kwong”), has been bestowed with the Ufficiale dell’Ordine della Stella d’Italia (Officer of the Order of the Star of Italy), for his outstanding contribution to strengthening economic and industrial ties between Italy and Hong Kong, and for his role in promoting Italian maritime expertise on the international stage.
Conferred by the President of the Italian Republic upon recommendation from the Minister of Foreign Affairs, this accolade recognises individuals who achieved extraordinary results in fostering bilateral relations, cultural exchanges, and commercial ties between Italy and the relevant Country.
“Mr. Chao’s commitment to enhancing Italy’s industrial presence abroad, promoting Italian excellence in ship management and design, and facilitating cross-continental collaboration is admirable and has contributed to foster friendly relations and cooperation between Italy and Hong Kong,” said Carmelo Ficarra, Consul General of Italy in Hong Kong and Macao.
“It is a great honour to receive this award, and I feel deeply humbled by it. I know many talented people who have come before me, achieving far more in fostering relations and representing our shared culture and values. I am profoundly grateful to join this esteemed gathering of people,” said Mr. Chao.
“For me, this is the beginning of the journey, and among the aspects, what I cherish most is the wealth of common ground between China and Italy. The key element is our shared values to pass on to our successor. We regard this continuity as straightforward and natural, among individuals, institutions, and nations alike. Between Italian and the Hong Kong shipping community, we now possess genuine momentum.
“I believe there is much more we can accomplish to build and fortify the bridges between our two ancient civilisations, and I am optimistic about partnership between Italy and Hong Kong and China going forward across multiple settings,” said Mr. Chao.
As the third generation at the helm of Wah Kwong, Mr. Chao has driven the company’s European expansion. A pivotal move was welcoming Genoa-based Crystal Pool in 2023 and rebranded it as Venture Ship Management (Europe). The subsidiary with Italian staff offers technical management and consultancy, serving as a vital bridge between Asian and European maritime markets. In leisure shipping, the subsidiary acquired the award-winning SP110 yacht from Sanlorenzo and the first in Hong Kong to be recognised with RINA’s smart class notation.
Mr. Chao’s leadership extends to key organisations across Italy. He is a member of Assarmatori (Italian shipowners association) and chairs RINA’s Asia Decarbonisation Committee, driving international collaboration on emissions reduction. Wah Kwong collaborates with RINA on feasibility studies in onboard carbon capture and molten carbon fuel cells.
Besides shipping, Mr. Chao’s cross-cultural initiatives in arts, culture, and sports have driven dialogues between Chinese and Italian traditions, through his roles as Founder and Chairman of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Earthpulse Society and Hong Kong Culture Festival, and Founder and Executive Director of the International Guoshu Association.
Major projects led by Mr. Chao include the 2024 “New Silk Road in Martial Studies Exhibition: Dialogue in Martial Art Texts between East and West” in Taipei, showcasing over 50 martial arts manuals from Italy and China. The 2021 “Way of the Sword: Warrior Traditions in China and Italy” in Hong Kong, supported by the Consulate General of Italy, featured historic swords, manuscripts, and artifacts. The exhibition was coincided with the 3rd International Martial Studies Conference in 2020, where experts’ views on martial culture and historical martial arts in Itay and China were collected to form the 2023 open-access book Martial Culture and Historical Martial Arts in Europe and Asia. The book was sponsored by the Italian Cultural Institute.
