Paris Hilton's inspiring forebears, P-Noy's state visit to China, Oishi's success secrets

There is a natural law, a Divine law, that obliges you and me to relieve the suffering, the distressed and the destitute.  —Conrad Hilton

Beijing, CHINA — Congratulations to realty developer Joey Antonio of Century Properties for his family’s having clinched the participation of world-famous Hollywood TV reality show star Paris Hilton as the designer for the Azure Beach Club, which will be the main amenity of their six-hectare Azure Urban Resort Residences in Parañaque City. She will reportedly travel to the Philippines on Aug. 13 for a few days. The realty project is the Antonio family’s joint venture with self-made industrialist Jose “Pepito” Ch. Alvarez.

In the past Paris Hilton has been embroiled in some controversies, yet she has also reinvented herself as the star of the reality TV show The World According To Paris and is herself an entrepreneur with a fashion design business and 17 product lines to her name. However, the two Hiltons whom I admire more than this beautiful and media-savvy celebrity are her 83-year-old grandfather Barron Hilton and her late great-grandfather, Conrad Hilton. 

Long before Warren Buffett and Bill Gates donated much of their wealth to charity, the forebears of Paris Hilton had already done this. Barron Hilton, son of Conrad Hilton, the founder of the worldwide hotel chain, in 2007 announced that he would donate 97 percent of his almost $2.3 billion to the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, which champions numerous socio-civic causes worldwide. 

In his December 2007 public statement, Barron Hilton said that his father, Conrad, had trail-blazed a great example and bequeathed 97 percent of his fortune to the charitable foundation bearing his name and which he founded in 1944, “and I am proud to follow my father’s example.” 

* * *

Is it true that President Noynoy C. Aquino is set to make a state visit to China from Aug. 31 to Sept. 2? This writer hopes that leaders of the Philippines and China will focus more on expanding economic cooperation rather than be bogged down in politics and rhetoric regarding the Spratlys territorial dispute. 

The focus of China’s leaders now is socio-development, not politics. Nobel Prize for Economics winner Prof. Robert Fogel of the University of Chicago predicted based on his analyses that by 2040, China’s fast-growing economy will reach a staggering $123 trillion, equivalent to 40 percent of the world economy by then. How can we in the Philippines, with our over 1,000 years of historic friendly ties, benefit from this historic phenomenon instead of having unnecessary conflicts?

Let us learn from the pragmatic political leaders of our neighbor Taiwan. Though still officially at war with China and its intense, bitter foe for decades, Taiwan-China trade, investments and tourism are growing to record-high levels. We should seek a win-win situation in our relations with China. We shouldn’t allow ourselves to become pawns by either China or the US in their intense rivalry, but be friends to all and trade with everyone.

* * *

This writer recently joined 300 international alumni of the prestigious Peking University for a reunion in Beijing and also in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, with young ethnic Chinese entrepreneurs and some outstanding professionals from 85 countries. One of the alumni I met here is 38-year-old Larry Chan, chief executive officer of Liwayway (International) Co., Limited and Liwayway (China Co., Ltd.), which manufactures the Oishi brand of snack foods. 

This fourth child of low-key taipan Carlos Chan and nephew of Bench boss Ben Chan has been based in Shanghai for the last 15 years. Larry Chan is a graduate of Ateneo de Manila University’s management engineering course and is fluent in both Mandarin as well as written Chinese. Liwayway (Oishi) already has 13 factories all over booming China. The Chans are among the most ardent supporters of better Philippine-China relations, with numerous efforts such as support for the Philippine Pavilion at the Shanghai Expo, etc. 

At the breakfast buffet in Four Points by Sheraton Hotel Beijing Haidian Hotel near the university, I was seated beside Larry Chan and had an exclusive impromptu interview with him. Here are excerpts: 

PHILIPPINE STAR: What are the factors behind the success of Liwayway and the Oishi brand in China, which other business people can also emulate for the Philippine market?

LARRY CHAN: Being present and involved in the management of the business in a hands-on way is important. An enterprise cannot be run so well based on budgets alone; one needs to be flexible in thinking and approach due to the fast-changing and competitive environment; one should have a long-term approach and not necessarily just profit margins. Often in the highly competitive and dynamic China market, one needs to make short-term sacrifices for the sake of better quality and better market share, because building up quality is long-term and is not monetized immediately. Brand-building should be done fast and early. One very important thing needed is to hire good people and patiently train people.

What are three things you can suggest that we in the Philippines can learn from the “economic miracle” of China?

I think the Philippines should undertake China-style national campaigns that can benefit socio-economic development, such as unifying efforts to promote the Philippine tourism industry.  For example, to boost Philippine tourism, it would be good if the government pushes a national campaign that will engage all the people and various sectors, from the airports and customs to taxis and others. Look at China’s immensely successful Shanghai World Expo and the Beijing Olympics: those are national campaigns. 

My second suggestion is the continuity and long-term nature of Philippine socio-economic planning. Third suggestion, I believe the Philippines can also emulate China in successfully welcoming foreign investors; perhaps the government can set up an inter-agency body or a one-stop shop for foreign investors. The Philippines needs more foreign investments.

* * *

Thanks for all your letters! E-mail willsoonflourish@gmail.com, or follow WilsonLeeFlores on Twitter and Facebook.