The law was passed in 2020 and aims to prevent and punish secession, subversion of state power, terrorism and foreign interference.

Siyang-Le, a mother of two in her mid-30s, is a well-known figure in the art world, having been head of development for Greater China and the Asia head of gallery relations at Art Basel since 2017.

So how did Siyang-Le get to where she is now? She quips that her art career began in the Middle East because she was “a woman full of emotions and romantic thoughts”.

Because she worked in the Middle East at a time when the contemporary art scene there was just beginning to develop, Siyang-Le was able to make strong connections within the region’s art scene. “What made my experience different was that I worked among the art community, which was, and I believe still is, dynamic and multicultural. I felt welcomed and respected as a young woman,” she says.

“We started as a small team of fewer than 10 people, and we already had around 250 galleries. It was intense. Hong Kong was such a vibrant city that everyone wanted to learn about,” she recalls.

Fast forward to today, and the 2023 fair will have 177 galleries exhibiting, down on previous years; attendance at the fair, having set a record of 88,000 in 2019, has been sharply lower for the past three years.

There is a lot of pressure on the fair to deliver, but Siyang-Le is confident – and calm – about being able to manage her time.

“In the past 10 years with Art Basel, I’ve come to know the nature of the job and its cycle very well,” she says. “Even when I was dating my husband, he knew that he would not see me between January and March [the period of preparation for the Hong Kong fair]. So, in terms of expectations, I have mentally prepped myself and my family quite well.”

As a mother of two, does she find it harder for women to have it all? Siyang-Le ponders the question. “My answer is, I don’t know, because I’ve never been a man. I don’t have a comparison.

Siyang-Le puts her faith in communication and fairness. “When life gets busy, we tend to forget to put ourselves in other people’s shoes and think from another person’s standpoint.

“I always tell my team that it’s important to treat your partners and colleagues the same way you treat your clients. In any sort of relationship, marriage, partnership or even in a team, you’ve got to give time and be understanding and patient with the people around you.”

Now that she is in a position that requires a stronger assertion of leadership, Siyang-Le says she sees no reason to change the way she behaves.

“Some people may not take me seriously since I come across as ‘bubbly and expressive’, but I would never want to change my personality just because I have a higher-level role now.”

She would rather use “soft” power to influence people, she says. “You need to exchange a good enough level of understanding in order for somebody to really do what you want them to do, otherwise it’s just forced and unnatural.

“I don’t want to ever force anything.”

Siyang-Le adds: “I try to show my true self in my leadership, and I am extremely open with the people I work with.

“Being kind and smiley and bubbly doesn’t mean you’re not strong, and you don’t need to be intimidating and scary to be perceived so.”

Art Basel Hong Kong will take place at the Hong Kong Convention Centre in Wan Chai on Hong Kong Island from March 21-March 25, 2023.