Wu gets dues as pioneer

Hong Kong businessman Gordon Wu Ying-sheung has been recognized by Shenzhen for his contribution to innovation.

Also recognized at the 40th anniversary celebration were Xu Yangsheng, the first president of the Chinese University of Hong Kong's Shenzhen campus, and Li Zexiang from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, who cofounded drone manufacturing company DJI-Innovations.

The three were among 40 people praised by Shenzhen authorities for their contributions to the technological innovation and development of the city.

Wu, founder and chairman of property developer Hopewell Holdings, was among the first Hong Kong entrepreneurs to invest in the mainland after China's open-door policy under Deng Xiaoping.

The 84-year-old property tycoon has invested in several joint construction projects between Hong Kong and Guangdong, including the Luohu and Huanggang ports in Shenzhen, the Humen Pearl River Bridge and the Guangshen Expressway that connects Guangzhou, Dongguan and Shenzhen.

Wu proposed the construction of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge in 1983 to facilitate economic development in the Pearl River Delta economic zone.

Xu and Li are both robotics experts.

Xu, who is also into intelligent systems and artificial intelligence, is an academician with the Chinese Academy of Engineering. He had been pro-vice-chancellor of CUHK before heading its Shenzhen campus.

Li, whose research mainly focuses on robotics' motion control and manufacturing, chairs the electronic equipment firm Googol Technology Hong Kong and drone manufacturing company DJI-Innovations.

Others recognized by Shenzhen are Tencent founder Ma Huateng, SF Express founder and chairman Wang Wei and Ping An Insurance chairman Ma Mingzhe.