Letters | As Greater Bay Area shifts to carbon-free trade, Hong Kong must catch on
Readers discuss a key role for the city gleaned from China’s central economic work conference, promotion of indoor sports, and the mass shooting at Australia’s Bondi Beach
Hong Kong is sitting at the centre of that collision. As a major international trading and transshipment hub, Hong Kong is deeply embedded in global supply chains linking the Greater Bay Area to overseas markets.
At the same time, international trade practices are evolving. Carbon disclosure, supply-chain emissions accounting and environmental standards are becoming increasingly relevant to market access and commercial decisions. Trade competitiveness is no longer determined by cost and efficiency alone, but also by how carbon risks are managed.
These changes are particularly visible in shipping and logistics. Across global shipping, environmental requirements are influencing route selection, insurance pricing and long-term investment. Ports are now assessed not only on connectivity and efficiency, but also on their ability to align with emerging low-carbon norms.
For Hong Kong, this creates both pressure and opportunity. If the city continues to function mainly as a neutral conduit for cargo, it may find itself reacting to external rules rather than shaping how trade adapts to them. Carbon costs do not disappear in transit; they accumulate along supply chains.