Although Hong Kong is not, and has never been, a capital city, the extent of the foreign diplomatic representation in this town is far greater than can be found in many capital cities around the world. We have some 60 consulates-general and, in addition, a similar number of consulates, including honorary consulates. This very wide spread has come about for historical and business reasons, including recognition of Hong Kong's role as an international finance center, as a trading hub, and historically as an entry point to the rest of China. Hong Kong is also a very popular tourist destination, hosting great numbers of visitors from most parts of the world each year, as well as numerous business visitors.

This level of foreign representation is exceptional in its denizens' intensity of interaction among themselves and with local entities. It adds luster to Hong Kong's role as Asia's World City, for such a level of internationalism is seldom seen elsewhere. Together with the national chambers of commerce and cultural and tourism authorities here, the activities of these consular offices from many foreign countries cover a wide area. From arranging passports and visitor visas of all types, helping with commercial links, arranging cultural exchanges, to supporting overseas educational opportunities, arranging the visit programs to Hong Kong of business, cultural and VIP groups, and supporting any of their own citizens in need in Hong Kong.

Several international organizations also have a representative office in Hong Kong, such as the European Union office, an International Monetary Fund office, and an office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Many of the consulates-general in Hong Kong are large establishments - some of them are larger in scale than many of their overseas embassies in capital cities. Many of the consuls-general sent to Hong Kong are of ambassadorial rank: Indeed, not a few of them already served elsewhere as their nation's ambassador to another country, before coming here. All this speaks of the importance of Hong Kong. The consuls-general appointed here will often relate that in bustling Hong Kong, they are kept far busier than they were earlier in the capital cities of other places where they worked before coming here.

A regular feature of the activities of the many consulates-general in Hong Kong is that they each throw a high-profile annual reception to mark and to celebrate their national day. Filled, as these large-scale gatherings usually are, with their consular corps colleagues from many other countries, with representatives of the Hong Kong government and business, and with other contacts from the worlds of art and education, as well as with a few of their own most distinguished countrymen, these lavish gatherings are an ideal way to present the food, drink, music and other aspects of the host nation's culture. The wearing of national dress, where appropriate, adds to the interesting cultural mix at these enjoyable parties. For example, the Italian consulate-general often gets each of the many leading Italian restaurants in town to provide a booth showcasing the very best of their food and drinks. Each tries to outdo the other in the sumptuous items on offer, and nobody ever leaves that reception feeling hungry!

Many consulates-general here have staff involved in a range of cultural activities, such as bringing their artists and musicians to Hong Kong and making their works available for Hong Kong citizens to see and hear. In such endeavors, many are ably supported by their chambers of commerce here and by their national cultural organization in Hong Kong, such as the Goethe-Institut, Dante Alighieri Society, Alliance Francaise de Hong Kong and the British Council. Language courses are but one aspect of the range of cultural endeavors of the organizations which are active here. They also arrange things such as concerts (like the recent one by the world-famous Vienna Boys Choir), wine and food festivals, photography and art exhibitions, film festivals, and much else besides.

Such endeavors as bringing over to exhibit in Hong Kong priceless paintings, as the Italian consulate-general has done in recent years, and laying on superb cultural festivals here, such as Le French May, all add much to the artistic variety of Hong Kong. These efforts add cultural benefit and diversity to Hong Kong while showcasing the best of their own national cultural scene.

Important governmental, business and artistic visitors coming to Hong Kong, or going to their own foreign country from Hong Kong, can all have their visit programs enhanced by the support of the consular staff based here, since the consular office-holders generally have large contact lists covering many fields of endeavor. They therefore serve to open doors for the special visitors.

All in all, the high level of overseas country representation here in Hong Kong does much to enliven the cross-cultural life of this city, thereby contributing a lot toward maintaining Hong Kong's position as Asia's World City.

(HK Edition 11/23/2015 page11)