Background
Bi was born in Shanghai into a wealthy family that was friendly with the biggest Chinese shipping tycoons, Bi had an early exposure to the shipping business.
东江 毕
Bi was born in Shanghai into a wealthy family that was friendly with the biggest Chinese shipping tycoons, Bi had an early exposure to the shipping business.
He attended Taiwan Marine University and served in the navy. Dreaming of a maritime career Bi was inspired to pursue a masters degree in naval management at the State University of New York in 1972.
Bi’s first business venture after graduation, however, was in wholesale product distribution followed by retail. It was in photo developing and real estate that Bi built his wealth. In 1991, Bi’s Photo Experts Inc. launched a partnership with the largest film manufacturer in China and in 1993 he took part in a joint venture with China Photo Service. A life-changing opportunity then presented itself to Bi. After learning about Bi’s academic background, Li Jinming, the chief economist for the Yangtze River Maritime Authority (YRMA) revealed the blueprint for a Yangtze cruise ship to Bi and invited him on a tour of the Three Gorges on the Yangtze River.
The breathtaking scenery along the 192 km route reawakened Bi’s youthful dream. As a shrewd businessman, he also recognized the tremendous profit potential. At the time, there were a couple of dozen cruise ships serving tourists on the Yangtze River. They were old ships with sparse customer services. Bi decided to start an upscale cruise line, Victoria Cruises, primarily targeting overseas tourists. He wanted to bring Western standards of travel comfort to the beauty of the Three Gorges. Victoria I (Prince) was inaugurated on 12 July 1994 from Chongqing. It differentiated itself from its peers on the Yangtze River by its impeccable service, friendly staff, delicious food and deluxe accommodation.
Victoria II and III followed, launched in 1995 and 1997. After 13 years, Bi’s Victoria Cruises Inc. owns seven cruise ships, each running 56 trips per year. Victoria has transformed itself into a well-recognized brand for sightseeing on the Yangtze. Each year since 2002, more than 70 000 guests took Victoria cruises. As demand for touring China increases exponentially, Bi Dongjiang’s Victoria Cruises on the Yangtze have become one of the top destinations for American and European tourists.
Besides Victoria Cruises, Bi Dongjiang’s Pi Associates LLC develops commercial real estate throughout New York City and also recently acquired Tung Shing House, a fine Chinese restaurant that is famous among New Yorkers for its Peking duck.