July 27th, 2021
Consulate-General of Turkey 🇹🇷
Location: Room 301, 3/F, Sino Plaza, 255-257 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay
Located in the beautiful Sino Plaza off the highway in Causeway Bay, the Turkish consulate looked from the outside to be a small closed room. There was a large plaque and a security camera, but no way to see inside the facility. After ringing the doorbell, we entered a small room with a metal detector, and checked ourselves in at the front desk. Despite the more spartan exterior, we were soon led through a large hall of Turkish art and photography to a large modern office with a beautiful skyline. There we met Mr. Ocalan, the Vice Consul of Turkey in Hong Kong.
Introducing ourselves, we learned that Mr. Ocalan didn’t have a traditional diplomatic background, originally an electrical engineer recruited by the foreign ministry. He had previously been posted in Afghanistan (where he had some very interesting stories), and New Zealand, but felt that he had personally enjoyed Hong Kong the most, even extending his tenure by a year.
Interestingly, Mr. Ocalan told us he believed one of the things he enjoyed about Hong Kong was also something that he believed gave Hong Kong-Turkish relations much room to grow: the striking similarities in culture. Given Hong Kong’s international background and Turkey straddling Asia and Europe (literally), he told us that this cultural diversity laid a foundation for strong relations between Turkey and Hong Kong. As such, one of the Turkish Consulate’s large goals is to increase cultural exchange, and have done so by organizing Turkish art exhibitions, hosting Turkish movie screenings, and encouraging tourism to Turkey’s many historical destinations.
This cultural exchange also manifests itself among the approximately 1000 Turks residing in Hong Kong, most of whom work in international companies, others owning restaurants and stores (heard of Ebeneezers?), and even a small group of students. Another important exchange between the two countries is trade. Turkey exports many cultural foodstuffs and jewelry to Hong Kong, and imports many electronics. One large Turkish company that works in Hong Kong is Etimaden, a mining company that specializes in Boron, as Turkey holds 72% of the world supply.
During this interview we were also pleasantly surprised to learn a lot more about Turkish culture. Mr. Ocalan talked about his country’s founding by Ataturk, who is considered to be a national hero. We were also intrigued by Turkey’s intercontinental location, and we learned that while most of Turkey is located in Asia, often many Turks identify as more European. This cultural exchange culminated in an offer of some traditional Turkish coffee, which we gladly accepted. While a tiny bit gritty (Turkish coffee is served unfiltered), the flavor was incredibly unique, with an earthy foundation and fruity notes, far from what you’d get at a Starbucks.
We’d like to thank Mr. Ocalan and his staff for their hospitality, and we encourage you all to visit Turkey in the future!