We, as a global community, are learning to move beyond a legacy where a single worldview has long dominated. To resolve conflicts, we must return to the universal first principles of dignity, respect and coexistence. The way forward is to build frameworks that are rooted in universal rights while also being considerate of local values and traditions, allowing diverse systems to truly harmonize.

Imagine human rights not as a single melody, but as a symphony of dignity. Each culture is a unique instrument. The goal is not for one to dominate, but to create a symphony where all can harmonize. The conductor's role—a role for bodies like the United Nations—is not to dictate every note, but to ensure mutual respect and a shared rhythm.

This idea finds resonance across cultures, including in the Chinese concept of "harmony in difference." In Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), the One Country, Two Systems principle embodies this. (One Country, Two Systems means there is only but one China and under this premise the mainland adheres to the socialist system while Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan may retain their capitalist systems over a long time to come—Ed.)

It is not just an abstract philosophy, but something we live and breathe every day. It is codified in our Basic Law, our constitutional document; it is the small business owner who sources products from the mainland while relying on Hong Kong's independent judiciary; it is the student who studies a global curriculum but returns home to a family shaped by traditional Chinese values.

This principle also drives tangible results. First, on how diversity fuels our economy. Our push for inclusive corporate governance, such as the Hong Kong Stock Exchange's 2025 requirement for all listed companies to have at least one director of a different gender, helps build a more robust and resilient economy. This fosters a greater variety of perspectives, reduces cognitive biases and enhances connectivity. This commitment is a key reason why, according to the latest financial data, Hong Kong has once again topped the global rankings for initial public offering fundraising, having raised nearly HK$150 billion ($19 billion) as of late August—a figure nearly six times higher than the same period last year.

Second, on how we create an enabling environment to nurture world-class talent. A combination of government talent admission schemes and NGO-led initiatives to solve localized problems has created a lively ecosystem.

However, this economic and social vitality rests upon a fundamental foundation: a robust legal framework that guarantees stability. Ensuring a baseline of societal stability is the essential precondition for diversity, talent and true pluriversal coexistence. Our experience in Hong Kong has taught us that legislation, including the National Security Law and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, provide this foundation, creating the predictable and secure environment for a true plurality of voices to flourish.

This stability allows not just for economic prosperity but for the preservation and evolution of core cultural values—like the Confucian principle of filial piety, which continues to shape our family structures and social responsibilities. It enables Hong Kong to be that unique synthesis: an international metropolis where people of diverse backgrounds live, work and thrive together, all while traditional values inform a modern, pluralistic society.

The success of this approach is confirmed by the Fraser Institute's Economic Freedom of the World Report, which ranked Hong Kong as the world's freest economy in 2025, and top in "freedom to trade internationally." This demonstrates that stability and freedom are not opposites, but two sides of the same coin—the very coin that purchases the space for pluriversal coexistence.

To conclude, coexistence is not about one system erasing another. It is about weaving different realities into a single, strong social fabric. From Hong Kong, we have learned that this symphony, while challenging, is possible. It requires listening, patience and the conviction that our harmonious chorus is infinitely more powerful—and more beautiful—than any solo. Hong Kong's journey is a living musical score for this vital global dialogue. BR

The author is executive vice president of the Y.Elites Association, an organization established in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in 2007 to further youth development. The article is edited based on his speech at a side event of the 60th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC60) on Human Rights and Pluriversalism, on September 30 

Copyedited by Elsbeth van Paridon 

Comments to taoxing@cicgamericas.com