HK should boost ties with SEA, says think tank

Silk Road Institute, a think tank established by the Hong Kong Fukien Chamber of Commerce, has proposed a series of suggestions to enhance Hong Kong's civil diplomacy, including encouraging local chambers of commerce and other professional groups to boost ties with their overseas counterparts - especially those in Southeast Asian countries.

Such local organizations could explain Hong Kong's key policies from a business or professional perspective to maintain the foreign business community's confidence in doing business in the city, said Henry Tan, president of Silk Road Institute.

Executive president David Wong Yau-kar noted that civil diplomacy aims to effectively supplement official diplomacy and realize national interests.

The institute also suggested that local non-governmental organizations should be encouraged to provide charitable support to countries including those involved in China's Belt and Road Initiative in areas such as humanitarian relief, medical care, prevention and control of infectious diseases, financial services and cyber security.

Other proposals include increasing the number of scholarships to attract more outstanding overseas students including those from member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

In promoting local culture, the institute said the government can provide incentives, such as tax concessions and funding, to firms in the cultural and creative industries to encourage them to create competitive cultural products.