Whatsapp is certainly more useful to humanity than space exploration.
I agree with that, but whatsapp isn't a new way of communicating - in the sense that it's not a new protocol like the phone or internet. While it's convenient it's not revolutionary and I am sure that Hong Kongers would be using something else.
Also you don't know what space exploration could bring yo your everyday life (probably we could build new stuff from materials not available on Earth or that are very rare...).