Hong Kong’s leader has sought to deepen ties with the EU in a meeting with the bloc’s representatives, saying the city will remain a free port despite growing protectionism globally.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said on Wednesday that he had hosted a lunch attended by Harvey Rouse, head of the Office of the European Union to Hong Kong and Macau, as well as 15 consuls general from the bloc’s member countries.
The gathering served as a platform for direct dialogue and an exchange of views, with a focus on exploring new avenues to enhance economic, trade and development cooperation, Lee said in a social media post.
He emphasised Hong Kong’s unique position as a “superconnector” and “super value-adder”, citing its low and simple tax regime, world-class infrastructure, diverse and multicultural talent pool, and broad spectrum of professional services. These attributes made the city an “ideal gateway between East and West”, Lee said.
He also extended an invitation to businesses globally, including those from Europe, to “explore the vast array of opportunities” both in Hong Kong and mainland China.
The lunch took place amid simmering US-China tensions, even as the two countries reached a deal during high-level talks in London on tariff cuts, rare earth exports, Chinese students attending US universities and a trade-war truce signed earlier in Geneva. The latest agreement is subject to final approval by the presidents of the two countries.
The United States and China have been engaged in an escalating tit-for-tat tariff war in recent months, with the levy on Chinese goods at one point reaching 145 per cent.
