The inspiration for the CBCRT “Chan Academy” is H.C. Chan (陈鸿翔), the founder’s grandfather and a major influence in his life. Born in Kunming, with ancestral roots in Nanhai, H.C. Chan was an intrepid entrepreneur who grew up during the turmoil of the Second World War and the Japanese invasion. In the aftermath of the war, H.C. Chan relocated to Hong Kong, where he became a prominent businessman. After expanding his ventures to Vietnam, he became one of the largest suppliers of food to the U.S. Army. Due to the departure of the U.S. Army, he relocated to Taiwan, where he established one of the first mineral water companies in the island. Ultimately, he retired in Hong Kong, where he spent the remainder of his days. Despite never attending college, he became proficient in English, and he was also an avid reader of Chinese literature and the wuxia novels of 金庸. To his family members, he was known for generously offering his home to settle in new arrivals from the Mainland to Hong Kong.

In life, H.C. Chan exhorted his grandson to establish an academy 书院 and share his knowledge with the world. Thus, the intention of this website is to provide a virtual “academy” that will disseminate selected scholarly articles on six main topics, namely, Chinese Business and Economy, Chinese Politics and Law, Chinese Technology, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan, North American Politics and Law, and East Asian Politics and Law. The CBCRT also hopes to organize in-person sharing sessions and guest lectures in the future on these topics.