UK ministers will travel to Hong Kong for first time since 2018

UK government has an 'obligation to engage' with China, Lord Dominic Johnson says

Hong Kong, which was returned by Britain to China in 1997. Reuters

UK ministers are making their first trip to Hong Kong since China’s crackdown on the independence movement in its territory, with talks planned on renewing Britain’s business ties with Beijing.

Beijing imposed a national security law on the former British territory in 2020 after mass protests.

This led to strained relations with China and the creation of a visa scheme allowing Hong Kongers to go to Britain.

But the UK government has recently made it clear that it wants to maintain engagement with China despite differences.

Investment minister Lord Dominic Johnson will discuss boosting trade in FinTech and financial services with Hong Kong government representatives.

He said he will also stress that the UK will speak out against limiting Hong Kongers’ freedoms and "hold China to their international obligations”.

It comes after the highly controversial attendance of China’s Vice President Han Zheng at the king’s coronation.

The decision to invite Mr Han was strongly criticised by China hawks on the Conservative benches and Lord Chris Patten, the last British governor of Hong Kong.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said he “made plain” the UK’s position on Hong Kong when he met Mr Han in London before the royal event.

But Mr Cleverly said in a recent foreign policy speech that UK must engage directly with China, angering some Tory critics who want ministers to go further in distancing the UK from Beijing and to be more outspoken in criticising its leadership.

“Hong Kong is one of the world’s leading international finance centres, and my visit will promote co-operation on sectors where we both excel – from financial services and infrastructure to clean growth and sustainability," Lord Johnson said before his trip.

“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."

The UK says China 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.

Hong Kong was handed over from the UK to China in 1997 with a promise by Beijing to keep western-style liberties under a “one country, two systems” framework.