Tang Prize Foundation CEO Chern Jenn-chuan (Photo courtesy of CNA)
Hong Kong, May 27 (CNA) Tang Prize Foundation CEO Chern Jenn-chuan, who is visiting Hong Kong, suggested on Friday that major award organizers in Taiwan and Hong Kong can work together to improve the wellbeing of society.
Award organizers such as Taiwan's Tang Prize Foundation and Hong Kong's Shaw Prize Foundation can cooperate for the betterment of society, Chern said, adding that his foundation, for example, can share its experience in promoting international educational collaboration with its Hong Kong counterparts.
Chern, who made his remarks after visiting the Shaw Prize Foundation, also expressed hope of seeing more cultural exchanges between Taiwan and Hong Kong, noting that the two sides share the same Chinese writing system and a similar understanding of Chinese culture.
He said the world is currently mired in conflicts and misunderstandings because of a lack of interaction among people from different cultures.
Meanwhile, given the rise of China's economy, Chern predicted that more businesspeople in the greater Chinese community will seek to establish awards such as the Tang Prize in the future.
He warned, however, that the value of the awards will decrease if they are too similar in nature.
The Tang Prize awards, founded by Taiwanese entrepreneur Samuel Yin, honor people who have made significant contributions in the fields of sustainable development, biopharmaceutical science, Sinology and rule of law.
The Shaw Prize, established in 2002 under the auspices of entertainment mogul Run Run Shaw, consists of three annual prizes, in the field of astronomy, life science and medicine, and mathematical sciences. Shaw died in Jan. 2014 at the age of 106.
