There are few truly global hubs in the world. London is one. New York is another. But neither of them connect East and West quite like Hong Kong. I visited the city last week as part of the inaugural UK Investment Conference and saw first-hand the energy and resilience that define this city. That makes the recent
tragedy in Tai Po all the more heartbreaking.
My message to the people of Hong Kong after this deadly fire is this: we offer our profound sympathy to all those whose lives and livelihoods have been so dreadfully affected. You remain in the British people’s thoughts and prayers. The fortitude and determination of the businesses and people I met throughout my time here is deeply inspiring.
And during my visit to both Hong Kong and Shenzhen, I have been reminded of this region’s unrivalled engineering ambition. Indeed, over the past week, I spoke at the UK Investment Conference in Hong Kong and addressed audiences at the MIPIM Asia Summit. I met investors and business leaders across the region.
These conversations reinforced a simple truth: while there are areas where the United Kingdom disagrees with China, and we will always raise these issues and challenge on them, the pace of innovation and the influence China now exerts globally present exciting opportunities for both our nations.
And reinforced by the strong action we take to protect the UK’s national security, where there are opportunities that do not pose a significant risk, we will support UK businesses to seize them. Hong Kong plays a unique role in this equation. Its history and international outlook make it a natural bridge between our two countries.
The UK and Hong Kong together are uniquely positioned to support our more confident, positive relationship with China. And that’s something I was keen to promote during my visit.