Retired diplomat and chairman of the Middle East Institute Bilahari Kausikan said that the pressure on Asean economies will rise as the US moves to ensure they do not act as a back door for China into the US market. And Hong Kong will not be spared in the process. Mr Zi Yang, a senior analyst at RSIS‘ China Programme, said the trend will mean Chinese tech firms with Hong Kong operations, including those with opaque structures and affiliations, will have to endure tighter scrutiny as the city is sometimes a “transit point” for these China-based companies.