The story began inside a taxi. A chinese business tycoon got in at the Hilton and asked to go to the centre of Athens, in order to attend an important meeting, which could lead to an important investment.
Getting out at his destination, the businessman forgot his briefcase, which contained a very expensive and crucial to his work, laptop. The taxi driver only realised the mistake when he arrived at the Athens International Airport, for his next appointed pick-up.
The taxi driver called a colleague to take his passenger from the airport, and drove back, without a second thought, to the offices where he had left the Chinese tycoon. As a serious professional, he considered it his obligation to return the forgotten property to it’s owner.
He left the briefcase with the secretary of the director of the Company, where the tycoon was holding his meeting, without leaving his details. When the Chinese businessman got his case and it’s contents back, he wanted to know how to find the driver to thank him.
With the efforts of staff at the Hotel who had called the taxi and friends of Giorgos Xiradakis, the Greek businessman who Wong had been meeting with, the taxi driver, Giannis Bandourakis, a professional driver with 25 years experience, was found.
Wong Ching is one of the most well known Chinese investors in Greece and elsewhere.
He is a descendant of a very important family and is a member of the Political Consultative Conference of the Chinese Nation, as well as a member of the Social Committee for Legal and Economic issues. He is in addition, President of the Asia Brands Commision and CEO of Gongbao Investment Group.
The tycoon received a telephone call from his business associate, to let him know that they had found the driver and Mr. Wong immediately contacted the press (protothema) to express his loyalty to the admittedly excellent cooperation between the Greeks and Chinese. Mr. Wong said that such behaviors demonstrate mutual respect between the two peoples and certainly become even more important, at a time when Greece is experiencing such a difficult economic crisis. I would ask all my fellow Chinese business friends to pledge their belief in Greece and invest now, when there is such a need.
“Everyone should learn from the example of Giannis’ behaviour”, said Mr. Wong, saying how pleased he was to visit Greece so regularly, both for leisure and for business.
The Cretan taxi driver who is from Kasteli, Giannis Bandourakis, spoke to the reporter at the offices of Mr. Xiradakis and said that, “I do my job the way I believe most of colleagues do. It was very touching that the Chinese businessman wanted to find me, to thank me. I assured him that even if I had had to do more kilometres to return his property, I would have.” Mr. Wong has arranged for them to meet the next time he is in Athens.
