Kurt Tong

Ambassador Kurt Tong is a leading authority on US-Asia relations, economic diplomacy, and regional policy in the Asia-Pacific. He is currently Managing Partner at The Asia Group, where he leads consulting teams specialising in Japan, Greater China, and regional East Asian affairs, and serves as Senior Advisor to Geodesic Capital.

Over a thirty-year career in the US Foreign Service, Tong has held a series of pivotal postings. He was Consul General and Chief of Mission in Hong Kong and Macau, Deputy Chief of Mission and Chargé d’Affaires at the US Embassy in Tokyo, and Ambassador for Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). In these roles, he not only represented American interests with distinction but also shaped key initiatives such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the US-Korea Free Trade Agreement. As Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Economic and Business Affairs, Kurt Tong strengthened the State Department’s capacity to engage in complex economic policymaking, recognising that trade, investment, and development are inextricable from modern diplomacy.

Tong is widely regarded for his thoughtful, pragmatic perspective on international affairs. He speaks candidly on the challenges of US-China relations, the evolving economic architecture of Asia, and the delicate interplay between security and trade. His reflections on Hong Kong, in particular, underscore his ability to navigate complexity with nuance, recognising both the aspirations of its people and the imperatives of regional politics.

Kurt Tong is deeply engaged in fostering bilateral and regional understanding. He is Chair of the National Association of Japan-America Societies, a recipient of Japan’s Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon, and an adjunct professor at Georgetown University. Fluent in Japanese and Mandarin, he continues to champion dialogue and exchange across borders.