ZHOU Chunling

Ms ZHOU Chunling

Honorary University Fellow (2026)

Ms Zhou Chunling is an entrepreneur and community leader of exceptional calibre and virtue, driven by a clear vision and a strong sense of national identity. With remarkable grit and unflagging perseverance, she has built a successful international business, while actively contributing to China’s development and fostering multinational trade and economic cooperation. Her life story is truly inspiring.

Ms Zhou’s entrepreneurial journey was driven by her own industrious spirit and the opportunities unleashed during an era marked by transformation. In the 1990s, when she was still young, she seized the momentum of China’s opening-up and development and ventured to Russia to start her own business. In a country where the language, culture, legal and social systems are completely foreign, she had no personal connections to rely on. Yet, through her tenacious efforts, she gradually established a foothold in natural resource production and commodity trading. Those years of braving the unknown on her own became her priceless asset, equipping her with the resilience and courage to face challenges and adversities with ease and composure. Today, as Director of HK Yongan International Investment Company Limited, she has led the company to resounding success in international timber trading and processing, maintaining a high market share in the Russian Far East timber market. At the same time, she has been committed to the promotion of environmental protection and conservation, thereby contributing to China’s sustainable development.

Despite her remarkable business achievements, Ms Zhou has never forgotten her family roots in Heilongjiang Province and her dedication to the nation. She served as Member of the 12th and 13th National Committees of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), and currently Member of the 14th CPPCC National Committee, contributing her expertise to support the nation’s development. In 2018, she submitted a proposal calling for the establishment of a national-level cross-border economic cooperation zone between the city of Heihe in Heilongjiang Province and the city of Blagoveshchensk in Russia’s Amur Oblast. This proposal was ultimately adopted into China’s national strategic plan and led to the establishment of the China (Heilongjiang) Pilot Free Trade Zone. Drawing on nearly three decades of experience in investment and trade with Russia, she has also steadfastly supported the Belt and Road Initiative. In 2019, she played a key role in founding the Hong Kong-Russia Cultural Exchange Centre and has since served as its Secretary-General, facilitating collaborations between China and Russia in the cultural, social and economic spheres. Her sense of responsibility towards China and the Chinese people has ensured that her personal aspirations remain closely aligned with the needs of the nation.

Beyond her business endeavours, Ms Zhou has demonstrated a profound sense of social responsibility through public service, making significant contributions in education, medical services, environmental protection, rural revitalisation, and poverty alleviation. She has also served as Member of the 5th China Economic and Social Council, and as Vice-President of the Guangdong Overseas Friendship Association. She is currently Executive Chairman of Sunrise Hong Kong Foundation, Standing Vice Chairman of the Hong Kong Association for Promotion of Peaceful Reunification of China, Co-President of the Greater Bay Area Importers and Exporters Association, Honorary President of the Hong Kong Industrial & Commercial Association, and Advisory Committee Member of the One Country Two Systems Research Institute, among numerous other positions. As a community leader with a strong sense of responsibility, she wholeheartedly supports the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and frequently offers insightful advice on public policies.

Ms Zhou graduated from Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) with a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree in 2004, which marks the beginning of her deep and longstanding connection with the University. The HKBU education made a profound impact on her, not simply by empowering her with knowledge but also by enhancing her systematic thinking and multi-dimensional analytical skills. She especially appreciates her postgraduate programme’s focus on integrating theory with practice, its combination of international topics and an understanding of the Chinese market, and its strong alumni network—all of which have proven to be invaluable to her career. In her view, universities today are particularly important to the development of a nation and society, as they are not merely repositories of knowledge, but also engines of innovation and cradles for future leaders—roles in which HKBU’s distinctive whole-person education excels. She also holds HKBU’s transdisciplinary research in high regard, particularly for its alignment with the National 15th Five-Year Plan, and its contributions to Hong Kong’s development as an international innovation and technology hub through industry-academia-research collaboration. Ms Zhou has actively supported the development of her alma mater by actively engaging in alumni affairs. In 2004, she established the HKBU MBA (China) Alumni Association Shenzhen Chapter and served as its founding President. In 2025, she was appointed Adjunct Professor by HKBU’s School of Business for her outstanding contributions and achievements in the business sector.

Throughout her career in business and public service, Ms Zhou has embodied a strong sense of responsibility and dedication. As an entrepreneur, she has channelled her business experience and networks into tangible outcomes for her homeland and the nation. As a CPPCC member, she has devoted herself untiringly to participating in state affairs and has put forward proposals that align with national strategies. Recognising her distinguished contributions, the Government of the HKSAR appointed her a Justice of the Peace in 2020 and honoured her with the Bronze Bauhinia Star in 2024.

Ms Zhou lives by the words of the renowned Chinese historical figure Zeng Guofan: “Prudence in solitude brings peace to the mind; reverence in conduct strengthens the body; pursuit of benevolence wins people’s hearts; and practising diligence earns divine appreciation”. In keeping with these principles, she treats people with kindness and thoughtfulness, and always strives to do what is right. She encourages the HKBU community and the younger generation to step out of their comfort zones and fulfil their aspirations, whether in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) or further afield in countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative. Furthermore, she urges all to embrace lifelong learning, embrace changes, and seek self-enrichment in order to give back to society, the nation, and the world.

In recognition of her contributions to the development of China’s foreign investment and trade, as well as the growth of the GBA, and her positive impact on society at large, HKBU is delighted to confer upon Ms Zhou Chunling an Honorary University Fellowship. As a respected alumna, Ms Zhou embodies social responsibility and patriotism with an ardent affection for the nation and Hong Kong. She will undoubtedly inspire generations to work together towards a brighter future.