A catalyst for ophthalmic developments in China Hong Kong is unique in China: she is where the virtues of the East meet the values of the West. Her sovereignty returned from the British to the Chinese Government in 1997, but Hong Kong has continued to flourish, under the “one country, two systems” model, and remains international, dynamic, innovative, and prosperous. Western style rule of law and freedom of speech and thought have persisted here. Against this unique historical and political background, ophthalmology has made important strides in Hong Kong over the past decade, both in academic research and in the provision of quality care of international standard to the local population. Hong Kong has also increasingly become a catalyst for ophthalmic developments in China. One of our earliest projects to bring quality ophthalmic care to remote and poverty stricken regions of China was the “Lifeline Express.”1 (DSCL is a founding executive committee member and an ambassador of sight of the Lifeline Express, and the honorary director of the Shantou University/The Chinese University of Hong Kong Joint Shantou International Eye Center.) The Lifeline Express is a tailor built train to help eliminate cataract blindness in China (Fig 1). It is a charity project with most of its funding raised in Hong Kong. Ophthalmologists on the Lifeline Express are either volunteer …