Hong Kong’s finance chief, who is of Teochew descent, applauds Dear You for moving depiction of characters’ deep-rooted sense of home, kinship
2-MIN READ2-MIN ListenAmbrose LiPublished: 9:49pm, 12 Jun 2026Hong Kong’s finance chief praised a blockbuster film about the Teochew community as it premiered locally on Friday, and highlighted the ethnic group’s contributions to the city’s development, even as some critics slammed the production as propaganda.Dear You, an unexpected box-office hit that was shot on a shoestring budget, focuses on a grandson’s efforts to learn more about his family history by tracing letters sent home decades ago between Chaoshan and Thailand.
The film will screen in Hong Kong cinemas from next Thursday.
Teochow, or Chaozhou, refers to a city in southern mainland China, while Chaoshan is a portmanteau referring to the region of Chaozhou and the nearby Shantou.
“In Hong Kong’s early days, a large number of Chaoshan people arrived at the city on so-called red-headed boats, and settled down,” he said.
“Over the years, the Chaoshan community has worked very hard, with solidarity and helping each other, becoming an important force in Hong Kong’s business sector.”
