Culture and tourism leaders on Tuesday reaffirmed Hong Kong’s pivotal role as an international nexus for cultural exchange, highlighting that cross-civilizational collaboration could bridge divides and foster global progress amid geopolitical shifts.
Their remarks came during a ministerial panel at the Asia Cultural Co-operation Forum+ 2025, held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on Tuesday and Wednesday, which drew over 100 delegates from 22 countries to advance regional cultural ties.
Vice-Minister of Culture and Tourism Gao Zheng highlighted the role of cultural prowess in addressing common challenges and shaping a brighter future in an era of dynamic transformation, alongside economic strength and technology.
He commended Hong Kong's continued efforts in hosting the Asia Cultural Cooperation Forum over the years as a platform for equal dialogue, mutual exchange, and enlightenment among nations, aligning with the prevailing trends of the times.
ALSO READ: HK culture chief: Mega-event strategy delivers economic boost
Pledging unwavering support for the Hong Kong SAR’s development as an East-meets-West hub, Gao also highlighted Asia’s shared civilizational heritage and China’s commitment to deepening cultural cooperation.
He emphasized the city’s unique position as a melting pot of Chinese and Western cultures, financial prowess, and institutional advantages, aligning with national strategies to amplify its global cultural influence.
Concurring with Gao, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui pointed to the role of Hong Kong as a “super connector” between China and the rest of the world.
ALSO READ: 53rd Hong Kong Arts Festival kicks off
In her speech at the event, Law outlined Hong Kong’s strides in building a dynamic cultural ecosystem, citing the record participation of 17 regional delegations — including five first-time attendees — as proof of its “super connector” status.
Noting rapid vigorous and multifaceted changes since the last Asia Cultural Co-operation Forum held in 2022, Law said, “We are now entering a volatile age of geopolitical tension and tariff wars,” adding that “culture is from people, and is about people”.
“As a melting pot of Chinese and Western cultures, Hong Kong's potential could only be fully unleashed with constant stimuli from the rest of the world,” Law said.
ALSO READ: 'Eastern, Western traditions foster dynamic cultural ecosystem to drive HK’s future'
Noting Hong Kong’s positions as a “super connector” and “the largest art trading center in Asia”, Law said the city will make good use of these attributes to build connections with the region and the world. Hosting the cultural event, as well as other large-scale forums and summits, was a part of this focus, she added.
The Museum Summit organized last month by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department in partnership with the Guimet Museum in Paris, which has one of the largest collections of Asian art outside of Asia, received a record-high total registration of over 7,000 participants. One-third of them were non-Hong Kong registrants, from 39 countries. The recent Coldplay concerts at the city’s newly opened Kai Tak Sports Park, drew over 200,000 audience members from across the world, a strong testimony to Hong Kong's capability in staging world-class events.
“These achievements boost not only our confidence in consolidating our role, but Hong Kong's attractiveness to draw in new arts and cultural ideas and collaboration opportunities,” Law said.
Law also spotlighted Hong Kong’s thriving art market, bolstered by low tax rates and flagship events like Art Basel, which has cemented the city’s position among the world’s top three art trading hubs.
READ MORE: Palace Museum and Jockey Club jointly boost cultural exchange
These efforts, she said, align with the Blueprint for Arts and Culture and Creative Industries Development, which was promulgated in November 2024, prioritizing infrastructure upgrades, cross-sector collaboration, and talent cultivation.
The blueprint lists 71 initiatives that include spreading traditional Chinese culture, developing an international and diverse arts and culture industry, building a platform for global cultural exchanges, and fostering an ecosystem that benefits the local cultural and creative sectors. The overarching goal is to develop Hong Kong's arts and culture sector into an industry with added value exceeding HK$200 billion ($25.7 billion) over the next decade.
