Letters | Beyond snooker star residents, Hong Kong can target talent in more areas

Readers discuss how to bring in more high-performing individuals, the city’s own snooker champion, and complicity in illegal building alterations

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Ronnie O’Sullivan plays a shot against Ng On-yee at the Hong Kong Masters at Hong Kong Coliseum in 2022. Photo: Dickson Lee

Published: 11:30am, 9 Jan 2025

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The news that Judd Trump, the world’s No 1 snooker player, is taking up residency in Hong Kong under the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme has got people like me thinking, “Great, but what’s in it for Hong Kong? What more can be done?”

Ronnie O’Sullivan, another snooker star who recently became a Hong Kong resident, was not surprised by Trump’s move. Earlier, O’Sullivan had cited Hong Kong’s favourable tax policy as a pull factor.

Like many top athletes, Trump and O’Sullivan earn global income from tournaments. With the United Kingdom set to reform taxes from April and British tax residents soon to be required to pay taxes on worldwide earnings, Hong Kong offers a timely solution.

Trump and O’Sullivan are not just athletes, they are also public figures with wide followings on social media. A post by one of them about an experience in Hong Kong – whether it is a hike along Dragon’s Back, dinner at a Michelin-starred restaurant, or a shopping excursion to Causeway Bay – could bring the city’s unique charms to the attention of their fan bases. They could be ambassadors for Hong Kong tourism.

How do we invite more of these athletes to live in Hong Kong? The first step must be to let them experience what we have to offer. Hence, the government should focus its efforts on bringing in top players to take part in major local sporting events, from snooker, golf and tennis tournaments to horse races.