Ventures Dialogue

A few days in Hong Kong and it’s easy to see why Canadians feel quite at home in this part of China.  The hangover from the British colonial days makes it an easy city to navigate in English, and one of the most widely publicized tourism areas, Lang Kwai Fong, is scattered with various symbols of Canada including the maple leaf.

Work in his 'hood'

This is the first in a series of stories about prominent Canadians I met while in Hong Kong and their reflections on current and potential opportunities between Hong Kong, China, and Canada.

Canadians are the largest expatriate community and are expertly networked.  On the business side, the Canadian Chamber in Hong Kong tirelessly provides networking and education opportunities, insights into Chinese culture, and advertising from one Canadian to the next.  I was only in Hong Kong for one week and I received invitations to two such events.  Outside of business, Canadians frequently play in hockey leagues or other sports teams.  Thousands apparently came together on July 1^st last year to celebrate Canada Day, which coincidentally is also the anniversary of the handover to China. 

But digging below the surface, the reasons for the strong Canadian presence become clearer and demonstrate that when it comes to doing business in the area, Canada is boxing far below its weight.

Trade Commissioner John Zimmerman explains that there is an “enormous mutual fondness” between Canada and Hong Kong.  The Canadian presence is long standing.  Manulife recently celebrated 100 years in Hong Kong for example.  (Zimmerman points out that our foreign consulate has only been there for 80 years.) 

CEO of the Canadian Chamber in Hong Kong, Andrew Work, puts this fondness down to the participation by Canadian soldiers in WWII.  While that may seem a long time ago to many, Work explains that “it’s known by the people who matter.”  He also points to the success Hong Kong immigrants have achieved in Canada.  Adrienne Clarkson, for instance, is the only Hong Kong born person to become a head of state.  According to Work, Clarkson’s achievement has created an even more favourable impression of Canada.

But one name comes up again and again:  Norman Bethune.  Bethune, a trained Canadian-born physician, is a hero in China and to this day Chinese youth learn about his medical service during the war with Japan in 1938.  Bethune learned there were not enough trained doctors to take care of the wounded, and travelled to China in order to train people in first aid, sanitary practices and surgical procedures.  He established teaching and nursing hospitals and mobile medical services.  While operating on a wounded soldier in 1939, Bethune accidentally cut his hand which led to infection and his death on November 12^th.  Mao Zedong, leader of the People’s Republic of China from 1949 to 1976, wrote a tribute to Norman Bethune, an essay that all Chinese schoolchildren were required to read. 

In my very first conversation in Hong Kong, Dr. William Yip, the Chairman of Canada Land Limited and graduate of Concordia University, explained that the story of Norman Bethune is practically legend in China.  It’s one of the primary reasons why Canadians are more fondly regarded than Americans or the Japanese, why Canadians are better treated in China, and why Canadians are missing a huge opportunity to take advantage of this good will to break into the biggest growing marketplace in the world.     

Next week, learn more about Dr. Yip’s experience and insight into Canada’s reputation in Hong Kong.