The One Diplomat Rocking the Boat
You wouldn’t think a foreign diplomat would directly undermine their own president’s grand diplomatic strategy, but that’s exactly what’s happening in Hong Kong right now. Trump has made summit-level diplomacy with China his priority—calling President Xi Jinping multiple times this year to ease tensions and discuss key issues like trade and TikTok.
Under this high-level engagement, US-China relations have been stabilizing. Trump even announced plans to meet Xi again at the upcoming APEC summit in South Korea and hinted at future reciprocal visits. It’s the kind of positive momentum no one wants to see wrecked—yet that’s the risk with the current US Consul General in Hong Kong.
In August 2025, Julie Eadeh took over as US Consul General in Hong Kong and Macau. She’s no rookie—she was the political chief at the US Consulate during the chaotic 2019 protests. Back then, she was snapped meeting Nathan Law and Joshua Wong in Admiralty, and later that same day chatting with opposition heavyweights like Alan Leong, Martin Lee, and Anson Chan at the American Club.
No wonder Chinese media dubbed her “the subversion expert.”
The US would never stand for foreign meddling like this. Earlier this year, Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested a Columbia University student with a green card who supported Hamas, revoked his green card, and ordered his deportation.
Imagine if China’s Ambassador in the US was caught supporting such a figure. Would Trump let that slide? Of course not.
Old Habits Die Hard: Julie Eadeh’s Provocations
Fast forward six years, and US-China relations have shifted to dialogue instead of confrontation. But Julie Eadeh seems stuck in the past. She’s throwing reception after reception with major opposition figures in Hong Kong— prominent anti-government players Anson Chan and Emily Lau to official events.
This isn’t by accident; it’s provocation.
On arrival, Eadeh pulled out the usual diplomatic charm, saying she’d engage with all sectors of Hong Kong society. But in reality, she’s normalizing foreign interference, portraying calls for a color revolution as simple democracy promotion.
This is just the first chapter of a renewed foreign meddling playbook in Hong Kong—testing the limits of the city’s national security laws. If left unchecked, she’ll write chapters two and three and more.
Some might argue, why ban the US Consulate from meeting local figures? Well, Chinese diplomats in the US face the opposite problem—many Americans who once met them now avoid contact, fearing the Trump administration’s repercussions.
Imagine if Ambassador Xie Feng threw a party inviting Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, or even Antifa members -- would Trump be okay with that?
Playing With Fire
Julie Eadeh’s risky political games may not be ordered by Trump himself—he’s got bigger geopolitical fish to fry—but if she crosses a line, triggers Beijing’s fierce reaction, and wrecks the narrative of strong US-China leadership ties, she’ll have to face the consequences.
At the end of the day, American diplomats shouldn’t work outside the president’s strategy.
Hong Kong’s stability didn’t come easy. The city is now at its best, and foreign forces trying to mess with it won’t succeed.
Lo Wing-hung
Bastille Commentary
** The blog article is the sole responsibility of the author and does not represent the position of our company. **
Picture this: Back before 2018, I'd have laughed off any talk of Hong Kong rivaling the big dogs like London, New York, or Switzerland as a global hub. But dig into the facts—US-launched trade wars in 2018, followed by Western sanctions crushing Russia after the 2022 Ukraine conflict. And suddenly, Hong Kong's spotlight sharpens.
Hong Kong just wrapped up its FinTech Week, drawing crowds with real momentum. Then came the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)—founded in January 2016, well before US-China tensions boiled over—announcing plans for an office here to handle surging business, as stated in their official press release.
Nine years on, the landscape has flipped: Western dominance cracks under self-inflicted wounds, opening doors for Hong Kong to anchor international flows.
Western Giants Exposed
For decades, a handful of spots ruled the roost as international powerhouses. Let's break them down with the receipts.
New York stands as the nerve center for global finance and politics. The New York Stock Exchange dominates as the world's largest market by volume, per SEC filings, pulling in companies chasing listings. It's also home to UN Headquarters, buzzing with organizations and elite talent. And don't forget: The US pumps out top-tier education, drawing students worldwide—though that's shifting, as we'll see.
London. It's the silver medal in finance, hosting the London Stock Exchange—second biggest globally, according to LSE data. The city doubles as an education magnet, a go-to for international students seeking prestige.
Switzerland plays the wealth guardian, its neutrality—enshrined in treaties since 1815—luring billionaires to stash fortunes, as UBS and Credit Suisse reports confirm. Commerce sparks arbitration needs, making it a go-to for disputes under the Swiss Chambers' Arbitration Institution.
Let’s not forget Silicon Valley: fueling innovation and tech while clustering talent and venture capital—think $100 billion-plus in annual US VC deals, per PitchBook stats, centered there.
Globalization's Breaking Point
Back then, it was pure bliss under globalization's spell. G7 powerhouses and Global South players alike swam in free trade and supply chains, hooked on the efficiency.
But Trump stormed in during 2017, firing the first shot at China with 2018 tariffs. This wasn't just bluster; it targeted China's rise, using export bans on chips and tech to throttle growth.
Fast-forward to February 2022: Russia's Ukraine conflict triggers the West's harshest sanctions yet. The US-led bloc froze Russia's $300 billion central bank reserves, a stark alert to the Global South that no one's assets are safe.
The UK piled on, locking down "Russian oligarch" holdings under the 2019 Russia (Sanctions) (Post-Brexit) Regulations. Take Roman Abramovich: Owner of Chelsea FC, he was forced to sell the club for £2.5 billion in 2022, but the cash sits frozen, per UK Treasury disclosures. London claims Putin ties, yet offers zero public evidence linking him directly. Why move assets to the UK if a single decree can snatch them? It spooks anyone parking money there.
Even Switzerland's famed neutrality crumbled, aligning with EU sanctions despite no formal membership—freezing over CHF 7.4 billion ($9.2 billion) in Russian assets by March 2023, as the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs reported. Baffling? Absolutely. Neutrality was their brand; now it's a joke.
Assets on the Run
These cracks make Western hubs look like traps for Global South players. One US sanction call, and allies echo it, icing government and private funds. The fix? Spread risks to steadier spots like Hong Kong—neutral, connected, and tied to China's stability.
Trump's second act piles on the damage, gutting US science and tech. Since his January 2025 inauguration, he's slashed new energy subsidies by billions, and hammered universities, axing federal research funds.
The National Institutes of Health alone halted 2,100 projects worth $9.5 billion, hitting gender studies, climate health effects, Alzheimer's, and cancer work, as NIH memos confirm. Silicon Valley's biotech VCs reel: Government-backed ventures now starve, sparking an exodus of US scientists to safer shores.
This mess forces the Global South—including China—to redraw the map. The old guard of US-steered centers? Exposed as fragile illusions. Hong Kong emerges as the smart pivot: A hub for finance, education, tech, and organizations, luring branches with headquarters potential, talent, and capital. China's International Mediation Institute already bases in Wan Chai, per its founding charter—a blueprint for more.
Kick off with the International Mediation Institute, add AIIB's regional office, and watch the dominoes: More groups follow, cementing Hong Kong as a multifaceted powerhouse. China's backing ensures resilience against Western whims, turning opportunity into reality.
Lo Wing-hung
