Mark Field says innovation and technology is the priority in deepening ties, but adds that journalist Victor Mallet’s expulsion from the city undermines civil liberties and risks damaging business confidence
Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific Mark Field also said his country was in talks with the Hong Kong government to strengthen the trading relationship between the two economies, including the possibility of a future free-trade agreement.
“Hong Kong is a very important trading partner for the UK, and we have a very high level of ambition for our trading and investment relationships,” he said. “We’re working very closely with the Hong Kong government to support a full range of options.”
Britain is Hong Kong’s 13th largest trading partner. Last year bilateral trade amounted to HK$99 trillion (US$12.64 trillion), or 1.2 per cent of the city’s total.
Field arrived in Hong Kong on Thursday as part of an East Asia trip to meet officials and British communities in the region. He was scheduled to meet Hong Kong’s No 2 official, Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, on Sunday to discuss bilateral issues, including the government’s recent decision to deny entry to British journalist Victor Mallet, who was refused a work visa renewal and forced to leave the city after chairing a talk featuring a separatist activist.
In an interview on Friday, Field said the incident undermined civil liberties and risked damaging business confidence in Hong Kong.
