中英关系的新篇章：斯塔默访华与香港的桥梁作用

Hello everyone, welcome to today's program, where we will delve into British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's recent high-profile visit to China.

This is the first visit by a British Prime Minister to China in eight years, and Starmer's trip not only included a meeting with President Xi Jinping but also seems to mark the official end of the previous "deep freeze" in relations.

Starmer did not come alone; he led a massive business delegation covering key sectors such as finance, pharmaceuticals, clean energy, and aviation.

The visit yielded concrete business results, for instance, the chairman of Chery announced intentions to establish a European headquarters in Liverpool.

Meanwhile, pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca also announced a US$15 billion investment in China over the next five years, which is undoubtedly a massive capital injection.

On the policy level, Beijing agreed to grant British citizens 30-day visa-free access and significantly lowered tariffs on British whisky from 10% to 5%.

Beyond these economic figures, Starmer specifically emphasized Hong Kong's role as a "unique and important bridge between the UK and China."

As noted by a Hong Kong commentator educated in the UK, Hong Kong has deep roots with the UK in terms of culture, institutions, and interpersonal relationships.

Against the current geopolitical backdrop, as Washington pulls back from providing certain global public goods, both China and the UK appear eager to fill the vacuum in global governance.

President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Starmer have both made ameliorating the effects of climate change and governing artificial intelligence policy priorities.

In this regard, as the only city in China practicing Common Law, Hong Kong is perfectly positioned to take the lead in formulating legal frameworks for AI usage in the financial industry.

This regulatory collaboration would complement the robust existing financial ties between Hong Kong and London, such as the London Metal Exchange's precious metals network.

Furthermore, the memorandum signed between the West Kowloon Cultural District and the UK's V&A Museum indicates that such exchanges should not be limited to finance but should extend to cultural and educational realms.

Of course, we cannot ignore the challenges; the 2019 protests and subsequent political changes remain sensitive topics in the hearts of many British people.

This has led some to harbor doubts about the current state of Hong Kong, even questioning whether it is still safe.

However, as the commentary suggests, rather than trading accusations, it is better to handle differences through pragmatic dialogue.

After all, face-to-face communication is always much better than shouting across the void or having no communication at all.

Starmer's visit may not solve every issue, but it has opened the door for re-engagement, and Hong Kong has a significant role to play in this.

Thank you for listening, and see you next time.