With the 2036 Olympics on the horizon and no indication of a Chinese bid yet, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area has a vital opportunity to step forward, with Hong Kong taking the lead. With the opening of the Kai Tak Sports Park and Hong Kong being one of the hosts of the upcoming 15th National Games, it ushers in a new era of sports for Hong Kong. By leveraging regional collaboration and actively pursuing the Olympic bid, we can redefine expectations and inject new productivity into the city for the next 10 years. With the bid announcement expected as early as 2026, the timeline is pressing — we must be decisive.
Currently, very few people outside the region understand or recognize the Greater Bay Area, and hosting international sports events is a very effective way to attract global attention. Visitors will be able to experience the region’s excellent transport links, cultural richness, and sporting excellence. Additionally, these events bring together a wealth of sports-related business opportunities for foreign investors, spanning from the manufacturing and retail of sports equipment to health services and innovations in sports technology.
More importantly, huge sports events create a shared mission that engages with residents and instills a sense of national pride. For instance, most Hong Kong people watched the Paris Olympics, which enhanced Hong Kong’s sense of identity, with surveys showing that over 80 percent of residents take pride in the accomplishments of both local and national athletes. Cohosting a huge sports event like the National Games among the “9+2” cities is a project that further strengthens the bonds between the communities of Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland.
Cohosting is essential for Hong Kong, given our historically limited sports venue capacity. The infrastructural upgrades needed for the 2009 East Asian Games resulted in an operating deficit, serving as a cautionary reminder of the challenges we face when hosting multisport events alone. This underscores the importance of uniting with our neighbors within the Greater Bay Area to transform our collective capabilities into a formidable sports force.
This year’s National Games enables us to lay the groundwork for an effective regional collaboration framework. In 2023, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government established the National Games Coordination Office, enabling smoother operations, streamlined logistics, and community support.
Adopting a long-term vision, the government should consider transforming this office into a permanent entity dedicated to planning and executing multisport events within the Greater Bay Area after the National Games. In September, Our Hong Kong Foundation published a policy report that advocated for the Greater Bay Area to cohost large-scale multisport events, such as the potential “Belt and Road Games”.
Our ambitions should extend even further. An independent 2036 Working Group was established nearly two years ago to advocate for China’s bid to host the 2036 Summer Olympics and Paralympics across Hong Kong, Macao, and other Greater Bay Area cities. Given the stated ambitions of the central government for the further development of the Greater Bay Area and the leveraging of Hong Kong’s established international profile, the Working Group saw the opportunities an Olympic Games would present. Through this ultimate huge event, Hong Kong’s role as the internationally recognized superconnector and the Greater Bay Area concept could be introduced to the world through the medium of sport.
However, with media scrutiny on the overwhelming cost of the Olympics, achieving a cost-neutral Games is crucial. The Paris Olympics provides an excellent model. Notably, 95 percent of the venues for the Paris Games comprised existing infrastructure, featuring sites like the multipurpose Stade de France sports venue and the National Velodrome for cycling. This approach saved an estimated 2 billion euros ($2.16 billion) in construction costs. Along with funding from the International Olympics Committee, revenue from broadcasting, licensing and merchandising, sponsors, and ticket sales, as well as other economic gains, it is estimated that the 2024 Games could generate between 6.7 billion euros and 11 billion euros in financial benefits for Paris.
The Paris model illustrates the importance of maximizing existing resources. By collaborating across the Greater Bay Area, China can mitigate risks and pursue a wholly sustainable approach to hosting this mega event. This year’s National Games, covering 57 sport categories across over 80 venues in Guangdong province, Hong Kong, and Macao, means much of our infrastructure is already in place, thereby reducing the need for new stadiums that often lead to budget overruns.
As countries that include Qatar, Indonesia, India, Turkiye, Chile and South Korea have expressed an interest in bidding for the 2036 Summer Olympics, China must quickly muster its resources, unify its vision, and make a compelling case for this historic opportunity.
The road ahead is not without challenges, and the timeline for the IOC’s decision is approaching. We must act decisively to gather regional and national support, navigate new processes, and showcase our readiness to host prestigious events. This calls for concerted effort from government, businesses, and communities to align our aspirations and resources.
After the National Games, the potential Belt and Road Games and the 2036 Olympics and Paralympics represent significant milestones we must not overlook. By presenting a united front and cohosting world-class multisport events, we can demonstrate to the world that Hong Kong and the entire Greater Bay Area are ready to shine on the global sports stage.
Jane Lee is president of Our Hong Kong Foundation.
Kenny Shui is vice-president of the foundation and executive director of the Public Policy Institute.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.
