Why Hong Kong’s economic future still hinges on national security

In any conversation about Hong Kong’s future, one question often emerges: when will the city pivot away from national security and back to economic development?

To most, Hong Kong is fundamentally a commercial hub. After the turmoil of 2019, most reasonable people agreed that restoring public order was imperative. Today, the orchestrators of that unrest and the radicals are largely imprisoned or have fled. While occasional flare-ups and various forms of “soft resistance” persist, society at large appears to have reclaimed its traditional pragmatism. Few doubt that national security laws are here to stay, yet many wonder whether it’s time to turn the page and refocus on economic growth.

As a journalist, I work in one of the most affected industries and this question is constantly on my mind. I have come to a conclusion that may sound counterintuitive, if not sacrilegious, coming from a media professional: national security will always remain a top policy priority for Hong Kong. It is not a handicap undermining our commercial interests; rather, our economic future depends entirely on our ability to manage these concerns to the nation’s satisfaction. Any sober examination of the facts, framed by current geopolitical realities, makes this conclusion inescapable.

Hong Kong’s strategic position has always been dictated by national security considerations. When Great Britain took the territory by force from China in 1842, it was not seeking natural resources, but a protected gateway to a vast Chinese market and a naval stronghold for the Royal Navy. Admiral John Fisher, architect of Britain’s global maritime strategy, notably served at the naval headquarters here. The British colonised Hong Kong specifically to serve the security needs of the British Empire.