First senior UK official to visit Hong Kong in 5 years meets CK Hutchison’s Victor Li on trip to boost investment ties, reinforce engagement efforts

The first senior British official to visit Hong Kong in five years has met the chairman of CK Hutchison Holdings, the flagship company of the city’s wealthiest man, during a three-day trip to strengthen investment ties and reinforce the country’s willingness to engage with the business hub and Beijing.

But trade minister Dominic Johnson, who will leave the city on Tuesday, also reiterated that Britain would not “duck our historical responsibilities” to Hongkongers and continue to call out the “violation of their freedoms”.

In an opinion piece for the Post, Johnson said he would be in the city this week meeting leading investors and government officials to capitalise on Hong Kong’s commercial success and further strengthen investment relationships.

“As the first UK minister to visit the city in five years, this is an opportune time to reinforce our willingness to engage with Hong Kong – and indeed China – where our interests converge to preserve a positive relationship which delivers for the British people,” he wrote.

Johnson on Monday met CK Hutchison chairman Victor Li Tzar-kuoi, elder son of Hong Kong’s richest man Li Ka-shing, alongside the group’s co-managing director Canning Fok Kin-ning.

Noting the conglomerate was one of the single largest investors in the UK, the minister wrote on Twitter that he had met the pair to discuss their investment plans involving the country.

Johnson also met Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Christopher Hui Ching-yu to discuss ongoing efforts to remove market barriers and increase trade between Hong Kong and Britain. Hu earlier became the first of the city’s ministers to visit the UK in three years.