This old Chinese trading port can teach Hong Kong all about silk roads, and about tolerance
Openness and diversity come hand in hand with cross-border trade. As rancour and division grow in the city, that is worth remembering
During a recent visit to Quanzhou, a booming business city in Fujian province, I was struck by a sudden realisation. If Hong Kong can claim to be “Asia’s world city” with its reputation as a meeting point for East and West, then this seaport facing the Taiwan Strait could have justifiably laid claim to the title of “China’s world city” hundreds of years ago, as the starting point of the old maritime silk route.
Indeed, our city needs to study more, and clarify, what part it can play in this China-initiated strategic plan to open up international trade along a new silk route.
Major discussions have so far only focused on the plan’s business and geopolitical perspectives, with little attention paid to the impact in terms of shaping the diversified culture which, history tells us, comes with booming cross-border trade.
In this regard, Quanzhou’s history is quite telling. Many Hongkongers may know little of this port, but the politically and economically influential “Fujian clan” in our city is well known.
Xi’s experience in Fujian could well be one reason for him recognising how the ancient maritime silk route contributed to achieving one of the most prosperous periods in China’s history.
Now, with Xi’s strong backing, the belt and road project is in full swing, but what does it mean to Hong Kong, besides business opportunities? Quanzhou can be a good reference.
What struck me the most during my trip was the inclusiveness and openness of this ancient port. It once saw an influx of Arab merchants who brought with them Muslim religion and culture. It may have been exotic, even strange, to the Chinese at the time, but Quanzhou warmly embraced them all.
Many of the Hui minority residents today are descendants of the Arabs. The first Islamic place of worship built in China, the Qingjing Mosque, also known as the Ashab Mosque, is still a centre for prayer and attracts plenty of visitors from home and abroad.
Against such a backdrop, ancient Quanzhou saw a harmonious confluence of diverse religions, including Christianity, Islam and Manichaeism, together with different cultures.
History is a mirror. The lesson is always that only with openness and tolerance of differences can a place develop.
As a dynamic metropolis itself, Hong Kong should not just aim for the economic gains offered by the country’s grand strategic trade plan, but also reflect on how to revive the open-mindedness and inclusiveness it was once known for and proud of.
In today’s heavily politicised Hong Kong it is a goal worth pursuing, for our city’s well-being.
