Brian Y. S. Wong

Opinion | To be a better connector, Hong Kong needs to know Asean better

We should not be complacent about Southeast Asia, and must cultivate stronger arts and cultural connections on the ground

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Brian Y. S. Wong

Published: 5:30am, 10 Oct 2024Updated: 6:05am, 10 Oct 2024

Recent years have seen Hong Kong looking beyond conventional partners, in light of harsh geopolitical realities, but also because of the increasing eminence of the Global South. Indeed, the warming ties between Hong Kong and Asean are welcome, given the latter’s growing economic and strategic heft and integration into the sprawling supply chains linked to China.

Yet what is often overlooked in conversations on relations between Hong Kong and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations is the importance of winning hearts and minds, or the cultivation of genuine interest and affection in one another.

Beyond signing a raft of agreements on trade and investment, it matters that ordinary citizens receive and perceive benefits from closer ties.

Arts and culture are obvious domains where more can be done. We should encourage creative collaboration, facilitate youth- and practitioner-centric engagement, and align best practices across public and private sectors alike.

Hong Kong has long enjoyed enduring ties with Southeast Asia through the Cantonese-speaking Chinese diaspora, waves of immigration throughout the 20th century and recreational tourism. Yet precisely because of such perceived affinity, our city has rested on our laurels for far too long, casting aside the importance of cultivating tighter connections on the ground.

We habitually invoke the phrase “East meets West”, but what about “North meets South” – with Hong Kong serving as the confluence of the Global North and South, or bridging Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia?