Hong Kong must tell the world it remains a stable bridge to China

Former Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah recently shared his experiences from a trip to the United States on Facebook.

He mentioned meeting Hong Kong friends living there who asked him if the city is still an international financial center.

Tsang said that such questions are quite tricky, but he certainly tried his best to speak positively about Hong Kong.

Indeed, it is essential to maintain Hong Kong's status as a global financial hub.

During the Two Sessions this month, Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang emphasized the need to consolidate Hong Kong's position as an international financial, shipping and trade center while acknowledging the challenges in achieving this.

Firstly, the "One Country, Two Systems" principle is crucial for Hong Kong's status as an international financial center, especially as the city's legal system differs from that of mainland China.

However, the National Security Law has raised significant concerns among Western countries, leading the United States to gradually categorize Hong Kong as similar to other Chinese cities.

This includes recent tariff policies that have begun to undermine Hong Kong's stature as a global shipping and trade hub.

Notably, Hong Kong's container terminal throughput has been surpassed by cities like Singapore and Shanghai, causing it to fall out of the top 10 globally.

If Western capital perceives that Hong Kong's role has shifted from being a "bridge" between China and the international community to merely a "grinding stone," will these investors feel secure in investing in Hong Kong?

Therefore, it is necessary to convince the international community that Hong Kong remains a bridge between China and the world, to stabilize the city's status as an international financial centre.

Andrew Wong is a veteran independent commentator