Editorial | Trade offices defence by Hong Kong’s chief executive to be hailed
- John Lee right to support centres that seek to foster closer economic relations with outside world in wake of spying claims
Hong Kong’s overseas trade offices quietly functioned for years to foster closer economic and trade ties between the city and about a dozen countries. These days, they are under fire, unfairly, in some Western capitals with claims they are exceeding their brief. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu is right to come to their defence.
As a city and part of China, Hong Kong cannot set up consulates or embassies – it leaves that work to Beijing and focuses on the mission of promoting itself as an ideal place to invest or set up business. But the geopolitical winds shifted significantly after the national security law for the city was implemented in the wake of the 2019 unrest, souring relations with Britain and the United States. The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices have come under close scrutiny since.
Legislation was introduced in the US House of Representatives and Senate that requires the offices be stripped of their “privileges, exemptions and immunities” if the city is found to no longer enjoy a high degree of autonomy from Beijing. The arrest in London of an employee for alleged spying has further ratcheted up pressure and led to calls for the office’s diplomatic immunity to be revoked.
Lee told the Post it was not surprising in this politically charged climate for the offices, the city’s economic “jewels”, the things that you are good at, to come under attack. “Hong Kong is serious about promoting business, promoting economic cooperation,” he said.
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Hong Kong leader John Lee: Trade offices in the US are ‘jewels’ that draw attacks
The misinformation campaign has only made Lee more determined to strengthen the offices and set up more of them. Indeed, some Asean members had already asked that trade offices be opened in their countries, he said. Hong Kong has many benefits as a location for business, finance, trade and investment. It is an international city and a superconnector between China and the world, it operates under a common law legal system, and features low corporate tax rates and has no estate, capital gains or dividends taxes.