The View | Three reasons Hong Kong’s next government should strengthen ties with Japan and South Korea

With Hong Kong set to welcome a new administration, it is an opportune time to rethink the city’s role and value proposition to China and the world. As an international hub for business and finance, Hong Kong’s connections with the United States and Europe will continue to be important. But there is also an opportunity for Hong Kong to strengthen ties with Japan and South Korea and participate in the multifaceted dimensions of fostering friendly relations in East Asia.

Japan and South Korea have close economic ties with Hong Kong and mainland China and are of strategic importance as China’s immediate neighbours in the region. As much as there are ongoing geopolitical tensions, the two advanced economies recognise the need to balance democratic ideals with economic interests and demonstrate some sense of openness and willingness to pursue win-win partnerships.

Apart from the considerations above, there are three reasons Hong Kong’s new administration should encourage and facilitate efforts to engage Japan and South Korea’s private, public and non-profit sectors, such that Hong Kong can make a positive contribution to Sino-Japanese and Sino-Korean relations.

First launched in March 2017, the Harbour Art Fair ran for three consecutive years before the pandemic struck, featuring 55 galleries from Korea and other countries and bringing Korean painting, photography and sculpture to the Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel.

D2 Place in Lai Chi Kok also brought CGV Cinemas, a subsidiary of Korea’s CJ Group, to Hong Kong. One of the cinema’s houses is named after Korean actor Gong Yoo, who made a guest appearance in the Netflix series Squid Game and is most well known for his lead role in the film Train to Busan.