Hong Kong can boost regional prosperity through ‘soft connectivity’, adviser says
Hong Kong’s institutional advantages and close ties with mainland China and the wider world can contribute to the Asia-Pacific region’s prosperity, a key adviser to the city’s leader has told a conference. Stephen Wong Yuen-shan, head of the Chief Executive’s Policy Unit, said on Monday that Hong Kong was transforming itself into the region’s institutional “harbour” – where trade from regional…
A leading figure in Hong Kong's policy-making has highlighted the city's potential to bolster regional prosperity through what is termed "soft connectivity". Stephen Wong Yuen-shan, head of the Chief Executive's Policy Unit, made these remarks at the Asia-Pacific Think Tank Forum in Shenzhen. Wong argued that Hong Kong's unique institutional structure, as a "one country, two systems" territory, offers a distinctive approach to regional governance.
He emphasized that Hong Kong's role as the "institutional harbour" of the Asia-Pacific region could be further enhanced by leveraging its "soft connectivity" advantages. Wong explained that "soft connectivity" extends beyond physical goods, incorporating elements such as digital trade agreements, carbon markets, and cross-border logistics policies.
He stressed that under Hong Kong's unique legal, monetary, customs, and regulatory frameworks, different systems operate harmoniously within a single country. Wong pointed out that while the Asia-Pacific region has experienced significant physical connectivity growth over the past few decades, the future may see a shift towards digital, services, and environmental considerations.
Therefore, Wong suggested that Hong Kong could play a crucial role in fostering this new phase of development by facilitating the exchange of contracts, certificates, data, and other crucial components of mutual recognition. The forum was organized by the Shenzhen Academy of Social Sciences and Shenzhen University to coincide with the city's hosting of the Apec leaders' meeting next month.
China is set to host the Apec 2026 summit, with the theme of "Building an Asia-Pacific community to prosper together".
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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