Beijing Reunion Dinner 50 Alumni

Fifty (50) St. Johnians participated in the first Beijing Reunion Dinner held at the Jian Guo Hotel, Beijing on 10th November 2007.

Rev Paul Tong, Dr. KC Wong were traveling with 5 Alumni Directors specifically to take a part in this historical event. We were also very honour to have special guest Mr. Thomas Tso (the Director of HKSAR Government, Beijing Office) and also Dr. Vivian Wong (the President of SJCAA) attending the event. In addition, there were also more than twenty alumni who had spent at least one year in the Third Wing and are now based in Beijing attending this function. We were also very glad to have near ten alumni who were undergraduates in St. John’s and now move to Beijing to carry on with their career.

We started by visiting the HKSAR Government Beijing Office and we were very fortunate to be greeted by Ms. Corinna Chan – wife of Mr. Thomas Tso in the HKSAR Beijing Office. We had the privilege of visiting the main Reception Hall where most of the official receptions for external governmental visitors are held over there. Then we went to the Exhibition Hall where a lot of information about HKSAR are kept over there. Finally, Corinna also showed us the Immigration Department inside the HKSAR Office where the foreigners who want to visit HK could obtain their HK Visa over there.

After the visit, the delegation went back to the Jian Guo Hotel to start our Reunion Dinner.

All the tables were decorated with the College Colour – the contemporary purple! Each participant was given a SJCAA Teddy Bear as the souvenir. People then immediately grouped themselves into different “sherry groups” enjoying the delicious sherry brought by the HK delegates. The Alumni seemed to have endless topics and some of them meeting old friends from HK, some of them meeting new faces from Beijing.

The dinner started by having two MC’s addressing the group in their very proficient Putonghua. Then we were addressed by Mr. Thomas Tso, Rev Paul Tong and our President Dr. Vivian Wong. The Beijing style dinner then followed. The highlights of the evening were the self introduction session by all the participants to tell us their names, when they spent their hall life in St. John’s. A lot of the people were very excited when they talked about their old days in St. John’s. Some of the Alumni were very surprised to see friends who stayed in the same room as they did in the Third Wing. Different jokes, stories were told and suddenly the whole function room in Jian Guo Hotel were filled up with wonderful memories of St. John’s. A lot of people really enjoyed their time in St. John’s and some even said that it was their best time ever in their lives!

Then our Chairman Mr. Vincent Chiu came out to address the Alumni and he also formally announced the formation of the St. John’s Alumni Beijing Chapter. From now on, Mr. Paul Lee and Mr. Philip Yu will be the coordinators of the Beijing Chapter and there will be regular activities held in Beijing for our Alumni over there. More than 25 Alumni also took the opportunities to join the SJCAA as full members.

After the lucky draw, the evening was closed by taking a group photo together.

SJCAA would like to take the opportunity to thank those who participated in organizing this event and make it so successful.

We also thank Rev Eric Chong who has donated the lucky draw prizes and the red wines for the evening; and also Mr. Thomas Tsao for arranging the visit to the HKSAR Beijing Office.

PS. A group of Alumni also took this opportunity to play two rounds of golf in Beijing during that weekend.

Please also visit the Forum Section under the Beijing Chapter for more photos.