UK minister discusses tech collaboration in Greater Bay Area during Hong Kong visit

UK Indo-Pacific minister Rosie Winterton has visited Hong Kong’s flagship tech hub to discuss plans to expand technological collaboration in the Greater Bay Area, while aiming to strengthen business, education and people-to-people partnerships with the city.

During her visit, Winterton also raised concerns about the jailing of former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying in talks with Cui Jianchun, Beijing’s top diplomat in the city, and local officials.

“What we want to do is to strengthen those ties across our business, across education and people,” she said in a media briefing on Friday.

“But constructive engagement does not mean avoiding difficult issues, and we will always speak candidly where we have concerns. The UK will continue to stand up for the rule of law and the rights and freedoms that have underpinned Hong Kong’s success.”

Winterton serves as the parliamentary undersecretary of state for Indo-Pacific at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Her trip came against the backdrop of a thaw in China-UK relations, following a visit by former British prime minister Keir Starmer to Beijing in January and a call last month between Chinese President Xi Jinping and current British leader Andy Burnham, in which Xi called for deeper cooperation.

“We believe very strongly that Hong Kong’s success is in Britain’s interest, just as Britain’s economic engagement is in Hong Kong’s interest,” Winterton said.

“Our economic connections with Hong Kong are significant. As an important international financial centre and one of the UK’s top 20 trading partners, there are some real opportunities to deepen trade, investment and business cooperation.”

She toured the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park in the Lok Ma Chau Loop. She met officials from the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau and global pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca, which has a presence at the park, to discuss expanding scientific and technological collaboration.

Winterton also met with Undersecretary for Commerce and Economic Development Bernard Chan Pak-li as well as Cui, the commissioner of the Chinese foreign ministry’s office in the city.

According to a statement from the British consulate, both sides discussed “key aspects of the UK-China relationship”.

Winterton raised the impact of national security laws on rights and freedoms in Hong Kong, including the case of Lai.

Lai, founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily tabloid newspaper, was sentenced to 20 years in prison in February for violating the national security law.

Winterton also visited the Admiralty Learning Centre of the University of Hong Kong School of Professional and Continuing Education and joined alumni of the Chevening Scholarship, the British government’s global flagship scholarship, on a tour at Wong Tai Sin Temple.

She held meetings with senior business leaders, investors and professional services representatives to discuss opportunities in Hong Kong for British companies.

Winterton’s trip follows several earlier visits by her predecessor, former Indo-Pacific minister Catherine West. West travelled to Hong Kong in November 2024 and met with Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po and Cui.

West made another trip to Hong Kong in May last year to strengthen bilateral relations.