Established in 1982, Operation Smile is a non-profit organization whose volunteer medical professionals provide free reconstructive surgery to children and young adults in developing countries and the United States. In 1991, Operation Smile China was established to provide such services to mainland children with facial deformities. Mr. Li made the first of his three donations to Operation Smile in 1992 when they traveled to Meizhou.

Operation Smile made its first visit to Shantou, and its fourth visit to China in November 1993. The 47 volunteer medical professionals stayed in Shantou for 12 days and performed reconstructive surgery on 186 children. After the American team departed, Chinese physicians performed operations on several dozen other patients.

Operation Smile returned to Shantou in December 1994, bringing a team of 44 American doctors who were joined by a group of about 20 medical professionals from Hong Kong. Together they operated on about 180 children. Mr. Li sponsored both Shantou visits and also arranged to have the operations take place at the First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, whose medical staff also assisted in the efforts.

A total of 380 children with facial deformities were treated during Operation Smile's two Shantou visits. The program not only improved the children's physical appearance, it restored their sense of dignity and hope and brought back the smile that they had long forgotten.

The second Shantou visit represented the first medical aid collaboration between Hong Kong and American medical professionals and paved the way for more Hong Kong volunteers to take part in Operation Smile's programs.