After a four-year absence due to the pandemic, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) once again organised the annual Hong Kong Dinner in London to celebrate Hong Kong-UK ties and promote business opportunities and growth globally.
Hong Kong and the UK have long shared strong bilateral economic and business relations. In spite of the disruptions of the past few years, the partnership remained strong, with the UK becoming Hong Kong’s second-largest trading partner in Europe in 2022.
With this dinner, the HKTDC, also aimed to reaffirm Hong Kong’s position as a leading international finance, business and investment hub and gateway between Mainland China and the UK and beyond.
At the dinner, Dr Peter K N Lam, Chairman of the HKTDC, delivered his opening remarks to some 400 business leaders from the UK and Hong Kong: “Hong Kong’s fundamental strengths continue to position it as the go-to platform for UK businesses to access the vast China and Asia markets. Hong Kong is a key city in the rapidly growing Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The HKTDC will continue to help UK businesses succeed in Asia by connecting them with arising opportunities in the region.”
The dinner’s guest of honour Mr Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong SAR, remarked: “In the past few years, the business communities in the UK and Hong Kong have faced many global challenges. As Peter noted, our bilateral trade is solid. And we’re still home to more than 650 UK companies and thousands of UK expats – most, if not all, of them happy that business, and rugby, are back in Hong Kong. That, I’d say, speaks well of our traditionally strong cultural ties and long-standing people-to-people bonds.”
Mr. Chan reiterated that Hong Kong’s singular one country, two systems principle remains firmly in place. Additionally, Hong Kong has introduced financial services and innovation and technology initiatives aimed at driving the city’s economic future. Hong Kong will also press ahead with innovation and technology (I&T) development by actively strengthening collaboration with sister cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. More innovative policies will be taken forward together to spur the development of the Northern Metropolis as an I&T hub. In particular, there is promising prospect for green tech and green finance.
The Hong Kong Dinner in London has been a long-standing tradition, taking place annually since 1983.
Guests at this year’s event included Mr Martin Barrow, Director of Jardine Matheson Holdings Ltd; Mr Colin Bell, Chief Executive Officer of HSBC Bank Plc; Tan Sri Dato’ David Chiu, Chairman of Far East Consortium International Limited; Dr Jonathan Choi, Chairman of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce; Mr Jack So Chak-kwong, Chairman of the Airport Authority Hong Kong; Baroness Dunn, DBE, Honorary President of the Hong Kong Association; Mr Ian Galbraith, Group Board Director-Strategy of Mott MacDonald; Mr John Greenwood, Chief Economist of the International Monetary Monitor; and Dr Gerard Lyons, Board Member of Bank of China (UK).
They also included Lord Mountevans, Chairman of The Baltic Exchange Ltd; Lord Paul of Marylebone, Former Director of Caparo Limited; Minister Wang Qi, Minister of The People’s Republic of China; Mr Michael Thomas, Former Attorney-General of Hong Kong; Mr Barnaby Swire, Chairman of John Swire & Sons Ltd; Mr Christian Salbaing, Deputy Chairman of Hutchison Whampoa Europe Ltd; Sir Jonathan Symonds, Chair of GSK ; José Viñals, Group Chairman of Standard Chartered PLC; and Lord David Wilson, Former Hong Kong Governor.
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Media enquiries
Please contact the HKTDC’s Communications & Public Affairs Department:
Janet Chan, Tel: +852 2584 4369, Email: janet.ch.chan@hktdc.org
About HKTDC
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong’s trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Twitter @hktdc and LinkedIn
