In addition, ethnicity wouldn't gain him any measurable leverage. His wife or his in-laws would need to be senior party members in order for a political marria

In addition, ethnicity wouldn't gain him any measurable leverage. His wife or his in-laws would need to be senior party members in order for a political marriage to have any advantage. As a gweilo who lived 10 years in Hong Kong, roughly half the time single and half the time married, my perception is that speaking Canto/Mandarin is a much better leg up than marrying someone who looks local. (Funny, though, conversations with strangers would generally start with Canto being spoken to my wife, who would give a blank look and point to me, and I'd reply in Mandarin, followed by the stranger speaking Mandarin at my wife while I replied in Mandarin and occasionally dropped English bread crumbs for my wife. So many people just found it too awkward to speak Mandarin with a gweilo and preferred to speak Mandarin at my obviously-non-comprehending wife. That being said, I have a deep affection for Hong Kong and its residents, and it's pretty easy to get around just speaking English.)