Letters | Forget Taylor Swift, Hong Kong needs more East-meets-West talent
- Readers discuss the recent winner of a TVB show as an example of the kind of talent Hong Kong needs, and the lack of people from ethnic minority communities in the civil service
German Ku Cheuk-man, also known by his Portuguese name Germano Guilherme, was crowned winner of the recently concluded TVB talent show Midlife, Sing & Shine! 2, thanks to his vocals, looks and onstage allure. Born and raised in Macau, he is of Portuguese and Chinese descent, and sings in Cantonese, Mandarin and English like a native. Some believe he has the potential to become an international star.
In his 2022 policy address, Hong Kong’s chief executive announced the establishment of the Culture Commission to provide clear direction for Hong Kong’s development as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange. While this commission is to come up with a blueprint, the chief executive announced in his 2023 policy address that the government will, among other measures, increase the annual recurrent allocation for cultural exchanges by 40 per cent, from HK$50 million to HK$70 million, to support more arts groups and artists in going global.
Hong Kong, Seoul, Singapore and Tokyo are jockeying for position in the race to be Asia’s leading cultural destination, on par with London and New York.
As the government continues to seek global talent, we should develop Hong Kong as a launch pad for talented individuals in the Greater Bay Area who have global ambitions. We need more like Germano Guilherme in different industries, talent with a cultural understanding of East and West and the potential to shine on the global stage.