Consulate-General of Poland

Consulate General of Poland 🇵🇱
Location: Room 2506 Hopewell Centre, 183 Queen's Road East, Wanchai

After David stuffed his face full of Dough Bros garlic sauce, we moved swiftly to Hopewell Centre. Inside the notably round interior, the Polish Consulate was located several rooms down on the 25th floor, behind a small glass door. Entering the consulate, it was noticeably smaller than many we had visited, yet it was still decorated with Polish accouterments, including a state seal with an eagle and a map of cities we couldn’t pronounce (try Bydgoszcz).

Even though we arrived 15 minutes early, we were still ushered into the back office, where we met Mr. Danda, the Polish Consul General. Speaking about his background, Mr. Danda has a unique diplomatic background, with no previous postings, instead being appointed as a Professor of Political Science at the Krakow University of Economics. Asking about the consulate’s mission, Mr. Danda responded that Poland was currently in the “rebuilding” stage of their economic ties in Hong Kong, as they just recently reopened the Polish Chamber of Commerce here in Hong Kong. As such, the consulate is working hard to rebuild its presence both economically and culturally, with more university exchange programs, cinematography and music festivals, and bringing newer, more digitally focused Polish companies to Hong Kong. This is especially important considering many established Polish companies go directly to China, given the connections they built during the Cold War. Regarding exports and imports, Poland largely exports foodstuffs to Hong Kong, such as apples (which are considered a national pride), while importing machinery from Hong Kong. At the moment, there are an estimated 650 Polish citizens living in Hong Kong, many of whom are working in finance or law. As Mr. Danda mentioned, Poland is also quite notable in literature and computer games, with The Witcher and Cyberpunk both being created by Poles. We enjoyed the warm hospitality provided and were even given a book about Polish travel as a parting gift. As such, we encourage you all to visit the hidden gem that is Poland in the future.