City ‘well-placed’ to deepen ties with Europe

Hong Kong is ideally positioned to strengthen ties with the European Union as relations between the bloc and the United States cool under the Trump administration, according to Jennifer Chan Pui-kwan, a board member of Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation. 
Chan said Hong Kong often groups the European and US markets together, despite their differences.

“This is the right timing, right place, and right conditions for Hong Kong to step in and reconnect with EU nations,” she said.

Chan brings firsthand European experience, having lived in the Netherlands from age nine. After working in European banks, she became an entrepreneur and later assisted Hong Kong firms in expanding into Europe. While acknowledging the EU’s complexity – with 27 member nations and varying regulations – she stressed that Hong Kong’s historical ties with Europe should not be underestimated.

On mainland firms expanding abroad, Chan admitted that top-tier companies may not require Hong Kong’s assistance, so the city should focus on mid-tier enterprises, as EU businesses still trust Hong Kong’s legal system and value its role as a bridge between Asia and Europe. She stressed that Hong Kong must actively engage with the EU to demonstrate its strengths, rather than remain passive.

Since joining HKSTP’s board, Chan has advocated for deeper European ties, including participation in this year’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, where Hong Kong’s technological advancements drew significant attention.

(Staff reporter)