Timothy Fok is a politician, an International Olympic Committee (IOC) member, president of the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, vice-president of the Olympic Council of Asia, and president of the Hong Kong Football Association. But he also sits on the legislative council representing performing arts and culture.

Indeed, the politician finds it hard to say exactly why the city needs to boost arts and culture, only that it must if it is to remain a competitive player in the region. After more consideration he adds that with the economy more stable after the handover, SARS and the ensuing Asian financial crisis, Hong Kong is primed to transcend its status as a financial hub.

"The rich people are the celebrities in this town, but in other cities the artists, the writers are celebrated. In China, athletes are the heroes," he says. This is not to say that Hong Kong has not grown in its sports appreciation. It is preparing to host the East Asian Games in 2009, and Fok is spearheading a campaign to host the 2011 IOC session in Hong Kong. But progress is too slow.

When the IOC announced Beijing had won its bid to host the 2008 Olympics seven years ago in Moscow, Fok was present at the celebration. It was, for him, a crowning moment after years spent pushing sports in East Asia.

Hosting events gives a city both sport and cultural focus, thinks Fok. He suggests Barcelona has become a top destination following its Olympic hosting in 1992. He predicts Beijing will follow suit, and Guangdong, presenting the 2011 Asian Games, is boosting its cultural heritage in anticipation. Events like these allow for a development of culture through sport in the way other cities have married culture to their various strengths. "London and New York are flourishing financial cities," he says. "But when you go there, you think of the culture and art."

Fok is under no illusions that Hong Kong has achieved all it can on the sports field, and realises we are playing a huge round of catch-up when it comes to arts, but he isn't perturbed. "In some ways, Hong Kong is still a village," he says. "But when you drink your own water, you remember where it comes from." He suspects a wealth of untapped unifying national pride will be exposed through developing appreciation for sports and the arts. Until then he has hope. "I might not be a great sportsman, but I hope to bring people together," he says.