A century-old building on Hospital Road in Mid-Levels, Hong Kong, is now the new headquarters of GX Foundation.
The non-governmental organization said its new global headquarters will serve as a base for international medical assistance, youth education, and cross-cultural cooperation.
Led by Leung Chun-ying, vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and former chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, GX was established in 2018 to provide medical and public health assistance to countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, embodying the spirit of “sharing” and “people-to-people connectivity”.
ALSO READ: Cambodia honors Leung Chun-ying for healthcare contributions
“The Belt and Road Initiative is not solely focused on economic benefits,” said Leung, who is also chairman of GX Foundation.
Noting that GX actively collaborates with major infrastructure projects which aid local economic development, Leung said the foundation is also committed to improving people’s livelihoods.
For example, GX has signed memoranda of understanding with Cambodia Airport Investment Co and Funan Techo Coastal-Inland Waterways Co to jointly promote the “Health Risk Prevention against Dengue Fever and Other Vector-Borne Diseases” project, implementing vector control work at Techo International Airport, Phnom Penh, and the Funan Techo Integrated Water Resources Management Project.
It has also renewed cooperation with the China-Laos Railway.
READ MORE: GX Foundation concludes cataract initiative in Laos, eyes broader health tie
In the seven years since its establishment, GX’s international aid work has expanded to 10 countries — Laos, Cambodia, Senegal, Mauritania, Djibouti, Timor-Leste, Honduras, Vanuatu, Fiji, and Kazakhstan — across four continents, actively promoting numerous public health cooperation projects.
In September, its efforts were recognized by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs when spokesman Guo Jiakun praised GX’s program and donations in Vanuatu and Fiji during a regular news conference.
At GX headquarters at No 4 Hospital Road, the newly added entrance has been painted in “China red”, and Leung said it represents a gateway for Chinese compassion, knowledge and technology to reach out to different countries.
“We transcend political, ethnic, cultural, and language barriers to be with the peoples (in the countries along the BRI), working to build a global community of health for all,” said Leung.
No 4 Hospital Road was built in 1921 with a stepped layout adapted to the slope of Victoria Peak. For a century, it has been inextricably linked to public health — serving successively as dormitories for cleansing staff, municipal staff quarters, and a shelter for the homeless, consistently meeting Hong Kong’s health and social needs.
GX carried out the renovation work with minimal intervention, preserving the building’s historical structure and craft details while equipping it for contemporary functions such as offices, education, and public exchange.
The foundation said the revitalization will see the building continue its historic mission in the field of public health.
Contact the writer at kelly@chinadailyapac.com
