Chan Kin-por, Lawrence Lau and Lam Kwong-siu awarded top city honour in 2026 Honours List

Three prominent figures from the political, academic and business sectors have been awarded the Grand Bauhinia Medal, the city's highest honour, as the government unveiled its 2026 Honours List on Wednesday, July 1.

A total of 466 recipients were recognised by Chief Executive John Lee this year, up from 427 in 2025. The top accolades went to Executive Council non-official member Chan Kin-por; renowned economist and former Chinese University of Hong Kong vice-chancellor Professor Lawrence Lau Juen-yee; and veteran banker Lam Kwong-siu.

Chan Kin-por was lauded for his exceptional contributions and proactive public service. The government praised his distinguished achievements in the insurance industry for over 35 years, alongside his profound financial expertise. Serving as a Legislative Council member from 2008 to 2025, Chan was commended for rallying support for government policies and facilitating important bills, particularly during his nearly seven-year tenure as chairman of the Legco Finance Committee.

Professor Lawrence Lau was commended for his tremendous contributions to reinforcing the city's monetary stability. His insights during his tenure as chairman of the Exchange Fund Advisory Committee Governance Sub-Committee and as a member of the Currency Board Sub-Committee helped the Hong Kong Monetary Authority respond dynamically to a fast-changing global financial landscape. He was also recognised for advancing higher education cooperation between Hong Kong and Shenzhen during his leadership at CUHK.

Lam Kwong-siu was celebrated for his extraordinary achievements spanning more than 60 years in Hong Kong's banking industry. The government recognised his extensive business network, which assisted local and overseas enterprises in forging partnerships with the mainland, thereby consolidating Hong Kong's status as an international financial and commercial hub. He was also honoured for his community service, including promoting traditional culture, supporting women and implementing care projects for the underprivileged.

Eight individuals received the Gold Bauhinia Star, including world-renowned scholar Professor Dennis Lo Yuk-ming, praised for his pioneering work in non-invasive prenatal testing and early cancer detection; ExCo non-official member and DAB chairman Gary Chan Hak-kan, commended for his strong commitment to safeguarding national security; former permanent secretary Salina Yan Mei-mei; Hospital Authority chairman Henry Fan Hung-ling; former Correctional Services commissioner Sin Yat-kin; members of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference Raymond Lee Man-chun and David Ip Wing-shing; and Hong Kong China Friendship Association founding president Cheng Cheung-ling.

Nineteen individuals received the Silver Bauhinia Star and 40 received the Bronze Bauhinia Star. Sixty-five people were appointed as Justices of the Peace, including Henderson Land Development chairman Martin Lee Ka-shing's wife Cathy Chui Lee, Airport Authority Hong Kong chief executive Vivian Cheung Kar-fay, MTR chief executive Jeny Yeung Mei-chun, New World Development chief executive Echo Huang Shaomei and Memorigin founder William Shum Wai-lam.

The awards ceremony will be held later this year.

𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓