Where do things stand in Hong Kong today, and what might the future hold?

This month, Asia Inside Out host Rorry Daniels speaks with two Hong Kong politicians and observers of US-China relations: Emily Lau and Adrian Ho. 

The two Hong Kongers see the city's political culture, relationship with Beijing, and recent history—including the seismic 2019 protests—very differently. They each discuss the effects so far of the 2020 National Security Law, as well as their distinct ideas about what national security is and how Hong Kong should secure it. The conversation also features their separate perspectives on Hong Kong's relationship with the US and PRC and how they envision the city's future.

Emily Lau is a former politician and journalist and remains engaged in Hong Kong's civic and political life. She was the first woman directly elected to the Legislative Council of Hong Kong in 1991, and was Chairperson of the Democratic Party from 2012 to 2016.

Adrian Ho is a Hong Kong politician and businessman. In 2019, he founded a Facebook group called SaveHK, which became the largest pro-Beijing group on Facebook, with 200,000 members at one point. A member of the New People's Party, he was elected to the Legislative Council of Hong Kong in 2022. 

Asia Inside Out brings together our team and special guests to take you beyond the latest policy headlines and provide an insider’s view on regional and global affairs. Each month we’ll deliver an interview with informed experts, analysts, and decision-makers from across the Asia-Pacific region. If you want to dig into the details of how policy works, this is the podcast for you.

This podcast is produced by the Asia Society Policy Institute, a “think-and-do tank” working on the cutting edge of current policy trends by incorporating the best ideas from our experts and contributors into recommendations for policy makers to put these plans into practice.