Britain has “an obligation to engage” with Hong Kong, a minister has said as he embarks on the first UK ministerial visit to the former colony since Beijing’s suppression of its civil rights.
Investment minister Lord Dominic Johnson will discuss boosting trade in fintech and financial services with Hong Kong government representatives.
He will be the first minister to visit the region since the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) launched a suppression on pro-democracy protesters in 2019.
The UK government has condemned Beijing’s imposition of a national security law on Hong Kong in 2020, and has subsequently created a special visa scheme allowing Hongkongers to emigrate to Britain.
The UK says the Chinese regime remains in breach of the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration, under which it has a duty to uphold Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy and rights and freedoms.
But Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s government has recently made clear that it wants to maintain engagement with the Chinese regime despite political differences.
‘Historic Responsibilities’
Ahead of his trip, Johnson said: “Hong Kong is one of the world’s leading international finance centres, and my visit will promote cooperation on sectors where we both excel—from financial services and infrastructure to clean growth and sustainability.“The UK’s ties with Hong Kong run deep, not only in our shared history and connection between our people, but in business and our desire to succeed. For future generations we have an obligation to engage—robustly and also constructively—and our engagement with Hong Kong is an important part of that.
Coronation Invite
It comes after the highly controversial attendance of China’s Vice President Han Zheng at the coronation of King Charles III on May 6.Han was responsible for the regime’s policy for Hong Kong between 2018 and March this year, during which the regime suppressed pro-democracy protesters and imposed the national security law.
Following reports late last month that Han would get an invite to the coronation, former Conservative Party leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith said: “This is the man responsible for trashing the international treaty—the Sino-British accord—in the course of which the Hong Kong authorities have persecuted peaceful democracy campaigners.
“Having this man here given his role is outrageous.”
Tim Loughton, another Conservative MP, said Han’s presence would be “an insult to the freedom-loving people” of Hong Kong.
Lord Chris Patten, the last British governor of Hong Kong, said Beijing’s decision to send Han to the coronation was a sign that the regime treats the UK with contempt.
‘Deep Disagreement’
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said he broached areas of “deep disagreement” during a meeting with Han on Friday.Cleverly wrote on Twitter: “Engagement with China means discussing areas of deep disagreement and vital co-operation.
“Today with VP Han Zheng, I made plain the UK’s views on Hong Kong, Xinjiang and Taiwan.
“We also discussed working together on climate change, economic ties and people-to-people links.”
In response to criticisms of the decision to invite Han, Cleverly told BBC Radio 4’s “Today” programme on May 2: “With the relationship with China, it is incredibly important that we continue to have conversations. To basically gag ourselves, to limit our own ability to exert influence, would be counterproductive.”
Downing Street acknowledged there were “strong feelings” from MPs about the Beijing government but Sunak’s official spokesman told reporters in Westminster: “As the foreign secretary has said, we need to be clear-eyed about how we approach China.
“It would be wrong to exclude them completely given their significance to the global economy and on things like tackling climate change.”
