Wong Yung Chow made a tour of Southeast Asian countries in the early 1970s. He was keen to see regional mathematical societies formed and discussed that with mathematicians in various countries. He held a meeting in Hong Kong in June 1970 which prepared the way to the founding of the Southeast Asian Mathematical Society in 1972.
The Hong Kong Mathematical Society was founded in 1979 with Wong Yung Chow elected as its first president. There were four institutional members of the new society: the Chinese University of Hong Kong; the Hong Kong Baptist College; Hong Kong Polytechnic; and the University of Hong Kong.
