Reset to Hong Kong-UK ties? British minister to meet city officials during visit
Minister for the Indo-Pacific Catherine West to meet No 2 official Eric Chan and finance chief Paul Chan, as well as UK business leaders
A British minister is in Hong Kong to meet government officials and the UK business community, in a sign the country’s new administration is moving to revitalise bilateral relations after a fraught few years.
The British consulate in Hong Kong said on Thursday that Catherine West, the minister for the Indo-Pacific, had arrived the day before to “discuss areas of cooperation and challenge on areas of contention”.
“The UK government is committed to a long-term, strategic and pragmatic relationship with China, rooted in UK and global interests,” the consulate said in its announcement of West’s arrival and details of her two-day “engagement programme”.
“The UK will cooperate where we can, compete where we need to, and challenge where we must.”
West was scheduled to meet Hong Kong Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki and Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po on Thursday, as well as members of the British Chamber of Commerce later.
On Friday, she is set to meet Cui Jianchun, the commissioner of the Chinese foreign ministry’s office in the city, and locally based British business leaders.
