Hong Kong urged to reinvent ‘superconnector’ role to link China to Global South

Panellists at South China Morning Post’s annual China Conference also express confidence in unique advantages enjoyed by Hong Kong

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A business leader has said Hong Kong’s role as China’s most international city and its connection with the rest of the world are “an advantage that no one else can replicate”. Photo: Sun Yeung

Published: 5:26pm, 4 Jul 2024Updated: 9:36pm, 4 Jul 2024

Business leaders have urged Hong Kong to reinvent its “superconnector” role to link China to the Global South to spur future growth as the coming US presidential election is expected to have little effect on Sino-American tensions.

At the South China Morning Post’s annual China Conference on Thursday, panellists expressed strong confidence in Hong Kong’s unique advantages in finance and technological research, calling on the city to preserve its characteristics of professionalism and high ethical standards.

Eric Li, chairman and managing partner of Chengwei Capital, said Hong Kong’s role as a superconnector, which capitalised on linking China to the West, needed to change to adapt to future globalisation trends.

“The relationship between China and the West is in some trouble,” he said.

“So as a result, I think, Hong Kong’s connector role should be to connect China with a larger world, namely the Global South, outside the small garden and tall walls if you will.”

Li spoke alongside three other guests at a panel titled “China’s economic reckoning: impact on Hong Kong, Asia and the world”, with most speakers agreeing that US-China tensions would remain unchanged regardless of who ended up in the White House at the end of the year.