Hong Kong’s hosting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Finance Ministerial Meeting 2026 demonstrated the city’s unmatched capacity to bring diverse regional stakeholders together. With Shenzhen also hosting major APEC gatherings later this month, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area has come under the international spotlight. This poses a strategic question: How can Hong Kong convert its proven convening power into an enduring, permanent engine of long-term economic and civic development?
Hong Kong should actively position itself as a premier global hub for international organizations, regional headquarters, and specialized multilateral bodies. Drawing on its seamless global connectivity, common law tradition, and predictable and stable administration — backed by a robust, well-established network of international chambers of commerce — Hong Kong possesses a rare window of opportunity. Developing the ecosystem surrounding international organizations represents both a high-value complementary economic pillar and a strategic springboard to elevate the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region’s and the nation’s role in the global community.
Under the “one country, two systems” principle, the Basic Law provides a robust legal foundation for external engagement. It empowers the SAR to join international organizations, establishing extensive global civic, professional and commercial relationships. Far from severing it from national development, Hong Kong’s international character is precisely the significant factor that enables the SAR to fulfill its national mission — acting as a reliable bridge between the Chinese mainland and the global market.
Hong Kong’s official and civic international networks have steadily expanded. By June, consular and honorary consular representation in Hong Kong reached 63 and 49 posts respectively, significant increases since 1997. Simultaneously, the city expanded its host role to eight officially recognized international bodies, compared with only two in 1997, while Invest Hong Kong’s directory now includes over 40 active major international chambers of commerce and business associations. The official and unofficial relations jointly build a dense and resilient framework for international cooperation.
While Hong Kong has built a strong global network, it can still take a leaf from the book of other established global hubs in further expanding global connectivity. Geneva, Switzerland — a world-renowned hub for international organizations — offers a compelling proof of concept, illustrating how a dense concentration of multilateral institutions and international organizations can translate institutional presence into lasting economic vitality, professional talent networks, and intellectual leadership.
Recent data from Switzerland’s Federal Department of Foreign Affairs highlights the scale of this economic footprint. The Lake Geneva region hosts 45 international organizations and representation from 187 United Nations member states and nonmember states, bringing together approximately 33,000 diplomats, international civil servants, and representatives of civil society. This concentration drives an immense calendar of activity: hosting thousands of annual ministerial visits and over 4,000 conferences that attract about 261,000 delegates each year.
Economically, according to Geneva’s cantonal statistical office, these international organizations based in the region have pumped billions into the local economy, recording over 7 billion Swiss francs ($8.55 billion) in 2025’s annual expenditures, more than half of which was injected directly into the local economy for salaries, professional services, and local procurement. The financial benefits of this are “evident at all levels of society” and contribute to economic dynamism throughout the country.
Beyond economic metrics, multilateral institutions yield a vital strategic dividend: reinforcing Hong Kong’s credibility as a leading international city. In an era of shifting global dynamics, international bodies require a stable, efficient platform for effective dialogue. Positioned between East and West, Hong Kong can grow as a regional hub for multilateral exchange. By engaging specialized bodies in domains like green finance, intellectual property, cross-border technology, and dispute resolution, Hong Kong can deepen its professional networks and reinforce its global value.
Geneva’s model is a practical demonstration of what is achievable — aligning seamlessly with Hong Kong’s first five-year plan to attract multilateral bodies. The goal is to build a self-sustaining institutional ecosystem rather than just collecting office labels. By pairing international organizations with Hong Kong’s world-class universities, professional services and young talent, the city can transform its global connectivity into a dynamic growth engine, proving that it remains an indispensable bridge where global ideas, capital, and institutions meet.
The author is president of Our Hong Kong Foundation.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.
