Read More
Since 2016, I have been playing trade matchmaker for the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce, building bridges between Hong Kong, the Middle East, and Central Asia.
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT
My golden rule: Our cultures are as alike as dim sum and dates. Both are delightful, but nobody serves them on the same plate.
In those parts, deals are not struck overnight. You pour the tea, then another cup, and become a trusted friend. Only then will anyone look at a contract, and even then they will probably suggest dinner first.
A few years ago, a newly arrived consul from the Gulf region drew me aside at a reception. He looked like a man who had taken the Star Ferry, the MTR, and a minibus in one morning. He was buried in meeting requests from dozens of "chambers of commerce."
"Why does Hong Kong need so many?" he asked, as gently as only a diplomat can. In much of his region, there is one grand, semiofficial chamber, and its word carries real weight.
In fairness, Hong Kong has more than 400 business associations, and every one of them is genuine. Each serves its members with real dedication. It is rather like a Cantonese wedding banquet: Every table matters, and everyone has a place.
For overseas friends who need a map, the Trade and Industry Department publishes a handy Directory of Hong Kong Trade and Industrial Organisations. Five organizations do carry one special duty. Alongside the department itself, they are designated by the government to issue Certificates of Origin. My own house, the HKGCC, is proud to be among them. Whichever door a visitor knocks on, the tea is always hot.
Our bewildered friend soon found his feet. Within months, he was striding through Central like a local and debating the best roast goose in town. That is Hong Kong's quiet magic. Our open, international, and welcoming spirit wins over every consul general and business visitor. They arrive a little dazed and leave a little heartbroken, and years later, they still miss the harbor lights and late-night noodles.
Hong Kong also has many honorary consuls. They are respected local business figures who quietly keep bilateral trade moving. When I led a Chamber delegation to the Gulf in 2024, it went very smoothly. The credit goes to a consul general and an honorary consul from the region, both based here, who opened doors no brochure ever could.
Behind them stand generations of Hong Kong business families. For decades, they have built factories, shipping lines, trading houses, and friendships across the globe, one handshake and one cup of tea at a time. Their hard work made this city the meeting place it is today.
Now, a new chapter is opening. With the full backing of the motherland, Hong Kong has become the springboard for mainland enterprises going global, and the front door for overseas friends coming in. More business visitors are arriving than ever.
My advice to them is simple: Come thirsty. In Hong Kong, the tea is poured, the deals follow, and the friendships last a lifetime.
Jonathan Lamport is a Legislative Council Member (Commercial – First)
