TL;DR: In a global business environment increasingly dominated by aggressive, short-term "wolf culture," Hong Kong's inherent "trust culture" is no longer just a virtue—it's our most powerful competitive advantage. While wolf culture burns bridges in its rush for quick wins, our focus on integrity, respect, and long-term relationships makes Hong Kong the indispensable "super-connector" between China and the world. This is our DNA, our brand, and our path forward in the digital age.
I was at dinner last night at Tokyo, sharing a table with a senior figure who manages a fund with more billions than I could count. He took a slow sip of his wine, looked out at the glittering Hong Kong skyline, and then turned to me with a question that hit harder than a shot of cheap liquor.
I am James, CEO of Mercury Technology Solutions.
"James," he started, his voice calm but the question loaded, "what's your take on Hong Kong companies today? With every mainland company aiming to 'go global,' what's the value proposition for you Hong Kong guys anymore?"
It was a heavy question. The kind that hangs in the air.
For the last decade, I’ve heard the siren song of the north. "Go to the mainland," they said. "That's where the gold rush is." But my gut always told me something different. Hong Kong's destiny was never about looking north; it was about facing the world.
I took a breath and decided to answer him with a story of two cultures: the wolf and the marathon runner.
The Allure of the "Wolf"
You've probably heard of "wolf culture." It’s a term celebrated in many circles on the mainland. The philosophy is simple: to succeed in business, you must be like a wolf—ferocious, relentless, and perpetually hungry. The business world is a brutal arena where you either eat or are eaten. To the victor go the spoils, and any means to get there are justified.
It sounds powerful, doesn't it? Almost primal. But wolves have a fatal flaw. They have prey and they have competitors, but they don't have friends. The concept of deep, lasting trust doesn't exist in their world.
I’ve seen this play out time and again. I recall a negotiation where a potential partner from this culture spent the entire meeting demanding aggressive price cuts, only to later discover their tactics had completely alienated the key decision-maker, who valued respect over a few percentage points. They won the battle on price but lost the war on the relationship.
I’ve watched companies fueled by this wolf culture charge into new international markets. Their first move is almost always a price war, burning cash to scorch the earth. Their negotiations with local partners are blunt and transactional. For them, business is a zero-sum game of extraction. There is no relationship, only leverage.
And the result? In the short term, it can look like a stunning success. But just as quickly, the cracks begin to show. They run afoul of local laws, alienate their workforce, and burn their local partners by breaking promises. They are like a sprinter who explodes off the blocks, leading the pack for the first 50 meters, only to collapse from exhaustion before the race is even halfway done.
The Hong Kong Way: Building on a Foundation of Trust
This is where the Hong Kong approach—our approach—is fundamentally different.
We might not be as fast. We’re certainly not as "wolf-like." When we enter a new market, we invest time to understand the local culture. In Japan, we learn the nuances of bowing and exchanging business cards. In the Middle East, we respect religious customs and traditions.
We don't start a business conversation by talking about money. We start it by sharing a meal and building a relationship. We understand a fundamental truth that the wolves often miss: business is built on trust. Without it, even the best deal is just a castle made of sand, ready to be washed away by the first wave.
We are the marathon runners. Our start may be slower, but our pace is steady and sustainable. We pave our road with integrity, one trusted relationship at a time.
Our Unfair Advantage: The Super-Connector
As I explained this to my dinner companion, he nodded slowly, signaling for me to continue.
"You ask me what Hong Kong's value is," I said. "Our value is this 'trust culture.' It's baked into our DNA. It’s our most precious intangible asset."
At a time when the world is becoming warier of the "Made in China" label for a variety of reasons, Hong Kong's role as a "super-connector" has never been more critical. We speak Mandarin and understand the mainland market. We speak English and operate within the framework of Western common law and business ethics. We are the bridge, the translator, and the guarantor between two vastly different worlds.
When a mainland company wants to do business in Europe, they can go it alone and face a wall of skepticism. Or, they can partner with a Hong Kong firm, leveraging our global reputation. Suddenly, the entire dynamic changes. Why? Because in the world of international business, the words "Hong Kong" are a brand. They stand for credibility, professionalism, and trust. This is our unfair advantage.
At Mercury Technology Solutions, our entire digital strategy is a microcosm of this principle. We build frameworks to establish what we call a "Trust Layer" online—a system of verifiable signals that prove a brand's credibility. We do this because we know that in the digital world, just as in the real world, a reputation for keeping your promises is the ultimate currency. This is precisely what Hong Kong offers on a macro, geopolitical scale.
My host finished the last of his wine, smiled, and clapped me on the shoulder. "Keep going, Hong Kong kid," he said. "You're not on the wrong path."
Walking out of the restaurant, the cool night air felt clarifying. I know many young people in Hong Kong feel lost, discouraged by the belief that our city's best days are behind us.
I want to tell you: do not underestimate yourselves.
In a world that increasingly prizes short-term gains and "wolf-like" aggression, the values woven into the fabric of Hong Kong—our commitment to our word, our respect for the spirit of the contract—become rarer and more valuable every single day.
The world is vast, and there is more than one market. While others are fixated on looking north, we must turn our faces to the globe. We must leverage our unique cross-cultural fluency and the legacy of integrity handed down to us to show the world how Hong Kong does business.
Stop selling yourselves short. Every single one of you is a guardian of this city's golden reputation.
Now, let's go out and show the world what it's made of. The world is waiting for us.
