Tsinghua Holdings Chairman Xu Jinghong has been named Zhongguancun Person of the Year 2016 by Zhongguancun Science Park, often referred to as "China's Silicon Valley".

Xu's victory was announced at an angel investment forum held by Zhongguancun on June 6.

Tsinghua Holdings Chairman Xu Jinghong was selected as Zhongguancun's 2016 Person of the Year at an angel investors forum in Beijing's Haidian district on June 6. 

The science park selects remarkable companies, angel investors and entrepreneurs every year to honor their contributions to innovation in the park.

Zhang Jinsheng, vice president of Tsinghua Holdings' subsidiary Tus-Holdings and chairman of the TusStar, an incubator brand under Tus-Holdings, was also honored as one of the top ten angel investors in Zhongguancun in 2016 and as one of the most popular angel investors.

TusStar and IES Investment were named the most outstanding innovation service providers of 2016, while TusStar Venture Capital was awarded the title of 2016 Zhongguacun  Outstanding Angel Investor in Intelligent Technology.

After receiving the award, Xu reminisced about Tsinghua Holdings' development over the past several years and his days spent in Zhongguancun.

Here is an excerpt from Xu's speech:

"Good afternoon. Although I hardly participated in award selections and had no idea how I was selected, I like this award, because of the word: Zhongguancun. 

In past decades, I witnessed and participated in the innovation development of Zhongguancun, a place close to my heart, a place which I have high expectations for. I spent all my youth here, as Tsinghua Holdings grew along with it.

We are very fortunate to live in such an amazing age, full of change, dreams and creativity. In the past 30 years, Zhongguancun has risen from nothing to a golden land for entrepreneurship and innovation.

Building an innovative country is the key to China's future. Reform, opening-up, factors of production, and investment have contributed to rapid economic growth over the past years. However, for the future, we need further technology innovation and entrepreneurship, and the motivation and wisdom of the new generation to achieve the Chinese Dream.

Zhongguancun is now an innovation leader in China and the world, and has received global attention.

Growing along with Zhongguancun is Tsinghua Holdings and its businesses. By the first quarter of this year, our total assets exceeded 400 billion yuan ($58.88 billion), and we have more than 20 listed affiliates, the world's largest university science park and the broadest incubator network.

Thanks to Zhongguancun and Haidian district, where the science park is located, we are able to do our part for innovation in this country. We hope that we can join hands in the future and keep exploring and going forth to create Zhongguancun's ambitious blueprint and to make a better and happier world.

Thank you to Zhongguancun, Haidian district, and to all those who have been supporting us.”