Cui Jianchun, Commissioner of the MFA Office in Hong Kong, called in the US Consul General in Hong Kong on September 30 to make solemn representations regarding her actions after taking office. Commissioner Cui urged Julie Eadeh to abide by the basic principles of international relations such as non-interference in Hong Kong’s internal affairs. He spelled out clearly four “Don’ts” to her: don’t meet with people you shouldn’t, don’t collude with anti-China elements, don’t fund or incite anti-China acdtivities, and don’t meddle in Hong Kong’s national security cases.
This wasn’t Cui’s first shot across Eadeh’s bow. Just a week earlier, when Eadeh arrived, Cui had already told her to stick to her role without poking her nose into Hong Kong or China’s internal affairs. Two warnings in a week, made public and direct, are about as clear as you can get. The message? Step over the red line, and there will be consequences.
Let’s break down the Eadeh saga from a few key angles to really understand what’s at stake.
1. Breaking Promises and Playing Politics
Appointing a consul requires the host’s okay, and China gave it to Eadeh only after the US promised she wouldn’t meddle in Hong Kong’s affairs. Eadeh was no stranger—back in 2019 she was the head of the political section at the US Consulate in Hong Kong and Macau, where she was known as a “subversion expert.” China was wary and once blocked her appointment. Only after US lobbying and promises did China give the green light.
But as soon as Eadeh set foot in Hong Kong, she held receptions and renewed ties with major opposition figures like Anson Chan and Emily Lau, blatantly breaking that promise. China can’t just ignore that.
2. The U.S.-China Chessboard Has Shifted
Years ago, the US cleverly used Hong Kong’s so-called democracy movement to stir up internal conflicts and then pulled the Hong Kong issue into Sino-American talks as leverage—not to support democracy, but to gain advantages elsewhere. Back then, when relations were relatively good, this game worked in America’s favor.
But everything changed after the 2018 trade war. By 2021, when Biden came in, Chinese officials at the Anchorage meeting challenged the US, saying China now “speaks by its position of strength.” The whole Sino-American game changed, with every negotiation on the verge of collapse. If Eadeh keeps stirring the pot with old tactics, it won’t bring the US trade gains—it’ll only break ties further.
3. Trump’s Priority -- American Soybean Farmers
Right now, Trump is keen to sit down with Xi Jinping—face to face—to cut through the trade mess. To Trump, the soybean farmers are what really matters. On October 1, Trump said on social media that he’ll meet Xi at the APEC summit late October to “have a good talk” about China not buying American soybeans. And he vowed to “make soybeans and other crops great again.”
Trump’s clearly putting American interests first, leaning into isolationism. Defense News leaked that the US is prioritizing “defending the homeland and the Western Hemisphere” over Asia. Trump’s cabinet changes—from hawkish Mike Pompeo to more moderate Rubio as Secretary of State—reflect this shift.
Old Hawks Out, New Path In
Pompeo was a notorious China hawk, calling China an “oppressor” and framing the rivalry as a battle between “freedom and tyranny.” His 2020 Nixon Library speech was basically America’s Cold War 2.0 declaration. But that’s behind us now. Trump dumped Pompeo, signaling a desire to reset relations with China.
Imagine if Eadeh keeps cozying up with opposition leaders or meddles in the Jimmy Lai trial. That’s crossing the line in Beijing’s book. The blowback would hit not just Eadeh, but also State Secretary Rubio.
After the 2019 chaos, Hong Kong people fear a rerun and detest foreign meddling that destabilizes Hong Kong. Eadeh should just do her job, follow Trump’s orders, and help push US-China ties back to normal. Otherwise, China won’t just talk next time.
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
