How HKUer Wisley Lau Became the Youngest Member of the HK Foreign Correspondents’ Club

Editor’s note: This interview by Christina Pantin was first published in the October 2026 edition of The Correspondent, the official magazine of the Foreign Correspondents’ Club, Hong Kong. It is republished by The HKU Lead with permission.

Born in Shenzhen, Wisley Ho Yue Lau has called Hong Kong home since primary school, learning not just Cantonese but embracing the city’s institutions. An undergraduate double-majoring in Journalism and Politics and Public Administration at the University of Hong Kong in his final year, Wisley recently joined the FCC as its youngest member. He speaks about his studies, Substack, what drew him to the Club and what he has his sights on after graduation.

The Correspondent (TC): You are the FCC’s youngest member. When did you join?

Wisley Lau (WL): I joined at the beginning of August when I was 20

TC: You write your own Substack, Nerd Writes The World, you were a columnist for your high school paper RCHK Truth and had your own podcast Teen Nerd Talks. At HKU, you are currently senior student ambassador for the Journalism Student Committee, and you’ve held down a part-time job at NOW TV. And yet, journalism wasn’t your first choice as a major. Why?

WL: Politics was my first choice as it’s my first love, but then I discovered I could do a double major and that was definitely something I wanted to do, because if I just studied politics, I didn’t think it would be as fulfilling.

TC: You’re known as a current affairs maven, and one of your HKU journalism professors (and FCC Member), Jennifer Deayton, swears you would be a champ at quiz contests. You even organised a quiz event at HKU in Year 2. Where did this obsession come from?

WL: It started in 2017 from two magazines I bought while I was walking past an MTR station - a copy of TIME magazine issue that bore the headline “China Won” and an issue of The Economist which was about social media. I bought them because I thought they looked interesting and then it became a habit to read and consume news, information and analysis, not only in those two magazines, but also in The New York Times and beyond.

TC: You’re quite the news junkie. What do you read?

WL: I usually read the Financial Times, The Guardian, The New York Times and The Economist when I wake up. I do print and digital, but print is easier on my eyes, and the feeling is different.

TC: How unique are these passions for your age group and among your classmates?

WL: Young people don’t seem to really be engaged in news. I’ve become that person that they go to and ask “what’s your take on this news event, or that conflict situation?” I first started my Substack in May 2023 when I was fresh out of my International Baccalaureate exams and had nothing better to do. I didn’t really intend it to be for a wide audience – it’s more about what I like to write. My focus is mainly on global politics and international relations.

TC: I’ve had a look and it’s pretty colourful, especially the illustration of some of your articles with memes. Why?

WL: I use memes as a way of conveying messages; it’s not that serious I have to admit, but I feel they can effectively summarise some of the issues. It’s refreshing for people.

TC: What are your stats?

WL: 626 subscribers and 2,400 followers the last time I checked. I think it rose significantly when Trump came into office in 2025. Most of my readers are actually from the U.S. and I provide it all for free.

TC: What was the trigger for you to join the FCC, your first impressions and what do you like most about the Club?

WL: My first time at the FCC was literally on [U.S.] Election Day [in 2024]. Initially I thought, ‘Oh wow, this is somewhere elite and I can’t get in because of the [Club’s] status, and a lot of famous journalists and smart people are Members. But when I came for the November event, I felt it was a really interesting place, not only because of its history, but it’s a Club that gives opportunities to people, whether they’re journalists or students, to interact with each other and learn. With the election event, it created a mood of togetherness being part of an event that you would otherwise read about in the news or watch on TV.

[Note: The Club hosted its traditional U.S. Election Results Breakfast Buffet and Watch Party on the morning of 6 November, 2024, which featured a speech by U.S. Consul General Gregory May]

TC: You already had a sense of the Club though from attending its annual Journalism Conference.

WL: Yes, I participated last year and again this year. I found both times extremely rewarding - I learned a lot, built connections and contacts with various reporters from different backgrounds and I was really impressed by the speakers.

TC: As a young journalist, what’s your main takeaway from meeting seasoned journalists at events like the conference and at the Club?

WL: Respect for the craft. My Substack is built on the work of intrepid reporters.

TC: As the youngest Member of the Club, what recommendations would you make to our Board and employees about recruiting younger Members like you?

WL: Perhaps to organise events that are more appealing to young people, like the Open House event I recently attended (for young journalists/journalism students).

TC: What’s next for you, Wisley? You have a capstone project about the use of AI in journalism and journalism studies in Hong Kong which includes a survey.

WL: Part of me believes that I can be an international affairs reporter, focusing on diplomacy talks, or an academic in either international relations or media studies. I’m looking for a job opportunity and I would like to do a Master’s degree programme. I’ve applied to five universities – Stanford, Yale, Columbia, Oxford and LSE - all for international relations.

TC: All excellent choices! We wish you the best of success.

WL: Thank you for giving me this opportunity to tell my story.