[Concurrent] Chen Nanlu, Chairman of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
In 1997, everyone remembers that at that time, Mr. Deng Xiaoping said a sentence in the 1980s, that is, "the horse runs as it is".
We are adhering to the spirit of "running according to the horse".
The horse ran forward, and Hong Kong kept moving forward.
In the past 25 years, I have also witnessed the continued persistence of "Ma Zhao Pao" in Hong Kong. I think this is a very good performance of "one country, two systems".
[Explanation] In the early 1980s, the Chinese and British governments started negotiations on the future of Hong Kong. Deng Xiaoping's sentence "run as horses and dance as they do" established the policy of "unchanged for fifty years" for Hong Kong.
The "horse running" here refers to horse racing.
Hong Kong built the Happy Valley Racecourse in Happy Valley on Hong Kong Island as early as the first year of its establishment, and held its first horse race in 1844.
Horse racing originated in the ancient Roman Empire and then flourished in Britain.
In colonial Hong Kong, this once aristocratic sport was popularized with the blessing of gambling and gradually evolved into a part of Hong Kong culture.
Every horse race day, the East Rail Line of the MTR will add a "racecourse station", and horses flock to it, which is a glimpse of the popularity of this event in Hong Kong.
In 1884, the Hong Kong Jockey Club was established to systematically manage horse racing affairs.
[Concurrent] Chen Nanlu, Chairman of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
The Jockey Club was established in 1884 and is now 138 years old.
We have made our first charitable donation since 1915.
Our model is a very special mode of operation, that is, we use all our income to pay taxes and do charity. We are a non-profit organization.
And one of our very clear goals is to build a better society.
The tax paid last year (2021) was about 25 billion (HKD), which is a very, very large amount.
It is also Hong Kong, which is of course the largest taxpayer.
[Explanation] "Jockey Club Charity" is the long-term commitment of the Jockey Club to the people of Hong Kong, and it is also the cornerstone of its unique business model.
Since 1915, the Jockey Club has donated huge sums of money every year to support various charitable projects.
From donating to build hospitals and parks, to schools and museums, all parts of Hong Kong have left the Jockey Club's charitable mark.
With the increasing number of races held in Hong Kong, the types of betting tickets have become more abundant and the ways of playing are more flexible. Horse racing has become one of the most popular entertainment events in Hong Kong. an important social function.
[Concurrent] Chen Nanlu, Chairman of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
Another important function of the Jockey Club is social stability.
That is, twice a week, you give people a chance to entertain.
After Wednesday is over, you can study the "Horse Sutra" again, and when Sunday comes again, you can play again.
So I think this function is a very, very important social function for people to entertain.
[Explanation] However, at the beginning of 2020, a new crown epidemic suddenly appeared, and "Ma Zhaoran" faced new challenges.
With the support of the government, the Jockey Club has formulated a series of measures such as "horse racing protective bubbles" to ensure that the gates of major events are opened as scheduled under the premise of safety.
[Concurrent] Chen Nanlu, Chairman of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
We want to "run like a horse" and we do a lot of work to make sure those like the riders, stables, etc. are safe.
Many employees do not need to go to work, but we maintain the wages, and basically we guarantee that employees will not be laid off.
So we all do this.
Just in this epidemic, we also responded quickly.
Now during the epidemic, about 90% of bets are made on mobile phones and computers, and our information is very comprehensive. It can be said that during this epidemic, we have actually seen that our bets have increased.
[Explanation] As the horse racing industry in Hong Kong has received more and more attention, in recent years, Hong Kong has been listed as an international race every year, attracting a large number of players from different countries to participate, and also making Hong Kong one of the hot spots for horse racing in the world.
In the 25 years since the handover, the continuous development of the horse racing industry has provided the people of Hong Kong with lasting pleasure, and has also injected a steady stream of vitality into the Hong Kong society.
[Concurrent] Chen Nanlu, Chairman of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
Before 1997, I felt that there were not as many opportunities as now, and the support of the central government was of course different from 25 years ago.
Our level now is completely different from 25 years ago.
For example, 25 years ago, there were no international first-level events in Hong Kong, but now there are more than a dozen.
Our horses were not very good before, and now there are basically many horses that are the top horses in the world.
For example, our bonuses are very world-class.
So we feel that the progress in the past 25 years is very, very rare.
Over the past 25 years, our taxes and donations have doubled compared to 25 years ago.
In the past 25 years, there has been a lot of progress, very fast, and these prospects and potentials, I think it is definitely unimaginable to return to before.
Reporter Fan Siyi Liang Yuan reports from Hong Kong
Responsible editor: [Luo Pan]