I hope I’m not upsetting anyone’s plans for a relaxing summer, but I think the Hong Kong government should start urgently on a bid to host the 2036 Summer Olympics. We can do it, cities within the Greater Bay Area need it and competitors are already lining up. The Summer Olympics have been held 20 times since resuming after the Second World War. The locations of the next two games, in 2028 and 2032, have already been determined. Hosting the Olympics is a fair reflection of a city’s financial acumen and interest in sports. Of the 22 held or scheduled Summer Olympics, Europe – including Russia – has hosted them nine times. By 2028, North America is likely to have hosted five of them. In Oceania, Australia is slated to host three by 2032. Meanwhile, Asia has hosted the Summer Games four times and South America only once. Notable for their absence are South Asia and all of Africa, arguably due to resource constraints. Contenders for the 2036 games include Ahmedabad in India; Santiago, Chile; Istanbul, Turkey; Nusantara, Indonesia and North Jeolla province in South Korea. Bids may also come in from Doha, Qatar, and Egypt’s new administrative capital. All of these places have their strengths and weaknesses, including financial capacity, climate suitability and organisational ability. An established track record should also be an important factor. Taking into account population size, interest in sports, including medals won in past Olympics and organisational capability, the 2036 Summer Olympics should be held in Asia. In this regard, China has a very strong claim. The obvious question then becomes which city should take the lead. Some countries make a habit of steering everything to the capital. For example, both Summer Olympics held in Britain took place in London; Japan likewise supported Tokyo’s bid twice. Meanwhile, China has shown its desire to spread the benefits of development around the country in the name of common prosperity. Perhaps the two leading contenders would be Hong Kong and its perennial rival, Shanghai. While Shanghai is a strong competitor, Hong Kong has a reasonable shot, especially with the support of other cities in the Greater Bay Area development zone. By happy chance, though perhaps not altogether by coincidence, the 15th National Games of China will be held in November. By the decision of the State Council, Hong Kong is taking part for the first time and is co-hosting with Macau and Guangdong province. An estimated 36,000 athletes will take part. It is expected that the events will attract thousands of spectators, including over 100,000 in our city alone. Altogether, there will be 34 competitive sports. There will also be two separate games for athletes with disabilities. The sheer scale and comprehensiveness of the National Games make this a near equivalent to the Olympics. Beyond the practice Hong Kong will gain from co-hosting the National Games, I can think of several reasons for the city to host the Summer Olympics. First, in the geopolitical struggle for influence, mainland China and Hong Kong have been subject to a steady battering in the international media to drag down our reputation. Depending on who you talk to, we perpetually live on the verge of economic and institutional collapse. A successful international sporting event would be the perfect response to the doom-mongers. Second, I think it is fair to say that the “Greater Bay Area”, as an expression, has been slow to catch fire in international business circles. It appears in marketing material and major speeches, but outside the government’s public relations bubble, it has not really resonated. A successful Olympics under its banner is the perfect opportunity to ignite the booster stage of the rocket. Finally, we want as many people as possible to see Hong Kong and its immediate hinterland, preferably on an actual visit or at least through the wall-to-wall television coverage the Olympics is sure to attract. I have often said that Hong Kong is its own best advertisement. Bring people from all over the world to the city to see it for themselves. There is no time to lose. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu should immediately support a bid preparation team in open discussions with the central government and other relevant parties. We should not waste the opportunity that November brings. For the sake of completeness, there is one other aspect I should cover – politics. In an ideal world, the International Olympic Committee’s decision on 2036 would be based on merit alone. Unfortunately, we do not live in such a world. The United States and its vassal states may work against any bid from China and instead push for an alternative like Ahmedabad, thereby showing support for India as a fellow member of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue. For diplomatic reasons, China may also support another bidder, such as Nusantara, bearing in mind that Indonesia is the world’s largest Muslim country by population and a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Another possibility is an agreement whereby cities in India, Indonesia and China are selected to host in 2036, 2040 and 2044 in whatever order. Such an arrangement certainly has its attractions. Politics at that level is for Beijing, not us. Our job is to give the central government the strongest possible cards to play when the negotiations start. And that means crafting an outstanding Hong Kong bid for 2036. Over to you, Mr Lee.