e all know that our Chairman, Mr Anthony Wu, is often referred to as "the King of Public Office". Yet he has always been 100% committed to the HA's progress. During a brief chat over a morning cup of tea earlier this month, Mr Wu told HASLink how he manages to take the boos, hisses and gossip of public life on the jaw… and how he always accepts life as it comes.

Becoming a member of Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital's Hospital Governing Committee in 1997, Mr Wu was appointed a member of the HA in 1999, and became the HA's Chairman in 2004. We asked him what impresses him most about the HA.

"I am most struck by our staff's total devotion to serving the public. Sometimes I go and visit frontline staff on my own, to get a better understanding of their work, and I am always impressed by their enthusiasm." Mr Wu's grandfather was a doctor. So, when he was very young, he thought he might follow in his footsteps. But two weeks before he was due to set off to the States to study medicine, it suddenly dawned on him that he wouldn't make a good doctor. So he changed his plans and became an accountant in Britain instead.

Although he never qualified as a doctor, Mr Wu still respects that profession. Which was why he has been unable to forget the time when he was booed and hissed at by more than 1,000 doctors at Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) in 2007.

"Never in my life have I been booed and hissed at by so many people. It was such a painful experience! But if you look at it from a different angle, it was also a very good opportunity to talk to them directly, without beating about the bush."

The background to this story was that 1,000 doctors staged a sit-in about "equal work but unequal pay" at QEH on 23 June 2007. The unions who spearheaded it asked Mr Wu to come and meet them. Although his advisors urged him not to go, he did the opposite, because enhancing communication with the staff has always been high on his agenda ever since he took over as the HA's Chairman.

We all know how things finally played out: the two sides reached an agreement, a doctors' strike was avoided and our services were unaffected.

Our CE, Mr Shane Solomon, tendered his resignation recently. There have been rumours of disagreements between him and the Chairman. We asked Mr Wu about them.

"They are utterly groundless. If you know us well enough, you'll know we're very good working partners. Indeed, friends like him are few and far between."

No one will deny Mr Solomon's contributions to the HA. Does Mr Wu worry his departure will affect staff morale?

"The announcement of my re-appointment came earlier than usual, because the government wanted to highlight the continuity of the HA's management. We are a strong organisation of almost 60,000 employees; the departure of one particular colleague will not affect our daily operation or the HA's corporate direction. We will still be a people-centred organisation, and our first priority remains to make staff happy, so that they feel they belong."

While we were chatting, Mr Solomon popped in to look for Mr Wu. The rapport radiated from the pair only revealed that they are close friends and have great trust and respect for each other.

Before our conversation ended, we asked Mr Wu how he handles the pressures that come with his roles, and how he still always manages to wear a smile.

"When something happens, you have to deal with it, no matter how upset you feel about it. So, why not be positive? The most important things are to figure out the best solutions and to learn from mistakes. 'Happiness can cure any disease', as the Chinese saying goes. I sincerely hope my colleagues can start each day with a smile, just like I do."

Mr Wu said that, even though staff communication has been enhanced, it could still be better. That reminded us of an article circulating on the Internet. It says that if we do even just a little bit better every day, in time it will change things beyond our wildest dreams. We hope you'll agree!