ABSTRACT
Hong Kong emerged as the leading global business centre of Asia in the mid-nineteenth century and remained under British colonial control until 1997, when it was returned to its sovereign power China. The peaceable transfer of a global business centre was extraordinary in world history. Since 1997, Hong Kong’s stature has been maintained. It is the pivotal centre of firms that control the exchange of capital within Asia and between that region and the global economy. The strength of the city’s global business sector is reflected in finance, business services, and corporate management. These businesses from within and outside Asia operate in intense networks within and among firms in Hong Kong. The networks also reach throughout Asia and globally. They are conduits for information, knowledge, and expertise, and they facilitate the formation of collaborative relations and building trust. Hong Kong’s bonds with China always have been a critical component of its economy, but since 1997, these have acquired a new character and continue to strengthen. Now, they are contained within the control of the city’s sovereign power, without external interference. Hong Kong is China’s global city and the head of the country’s financial centre networks.
