Ba Shusong, former managing director and chief China economist at Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX), has not appeared in public recently and could not be contacted, according to two sources familiar with the situation. Mainland media outlets reported that he was missing, with speculation that he had been detained by authorities for an investigation. An HKEX spokesman confirmed Ba left the company in late 2025.
Ba Shusong, an economist, academic, and frequent speaker on Hong Kong’s role linking mainland China to the world, served as managing director and chief China economist at bourse operator Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX). An HKEX spokesman said in response to an inquiry: “Ba was no longer employed with the bourse operator. He was most recently a part-time adviser and left the company in late 2025.” Ba delivered his last public speech at the China Conference 2025, hosted by HKEX in Shanghai on October 22. The conference agenda, which listed Ba as managing director and chief China economist, said he was to give a speech on Hong Kong’s role as a “superconnector” supporting mainland companies in their global expansion plans and promoting the internationalisation of the yuan. According to two sources familiar with the situation, Ba has not appeared in public recently and could not be contacted. Mainland media outlets reported that Ba was missing, with speculation that he had been detained by authorities for an investigation. The South China Morning Post tried to contact Ba on his mainland mobile phone, but the number was out of service, and an email to his Hong Kong University address did not yield a response.
