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Interview: UK Wishes to Develop New Ties with HK
British Consul-General Sir James Hodge told Xinhua Monday that the British government hopes to develop a completely new, constructive and mutually beneficial bilateral relationship with the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of China.
"The efforts of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government to improve Hong Kong's living environment and China's imminent entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO) have strengthened Hong Kong's attraction to the British business circle," said the consul-general in the HKSAR.
More than 1,000 British companies have set up their office or regional headquarters in Hong Kong, with direct investment estimated to exceed 14 billion pounds (US$20.86 billion).
Hong Kong, just next to Japan, ranks the second biggest trading partner of Britain in the Asia-Pacific region.
In 2000, the export from Britain to Hong Kong amounted to 2.7 billion pounds (US$4 billion ), up 15.2 percent from a year ago while the import from Hong Kong to Britain surpassed 6.1 billion pounds (US$9 billion ), up 19.8 percent.
Sir Hodge said that Hong Kong will play a greater role in bridging the Sino-British trade after China enters the WTO.
"Many British companies, particularly those medium and small enterprises, will invest in China. Hong Kong will be a comfort zone for them to expand business into the Chinese mainland," he said.
Hong Kong is also a good place for British companies to enhance contact with Chinese mainland businesses as many Chinese state- owned enterprises have set up window companies or branches in Hong Kong, according to the diplomat.
"The cooperation between Hong Kong and Britain is not just confined to business," Sir Hodge said.
There are more than 100 projects every year to promote communication between the two places, covering culture, art and education.
Having been the consul-general in the HKSAR for nearly a year, Sir Hodge described Hong Kong as a city full of vigor and Hong Kong people as highly capable of adapting to changes.
"The flexibility ensured Hong Kong's achievement in the past 30 years and will help Hong Kong quickly adapt to the new changes against the backdrop of the economic globalization and China's imminent entry into the WTO," Sir Hodge said.
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