The handing over of Hong Kong to China: the implications for European business Available to Purchase

The recent handing over of Hong Kong to China was an important landmark in British history. One might question, however, whether Hong Kong is still going to be of great significance to Britain and Europe in future years and whether future business and trade will remain important. The key to the question is very much now linked to Europe. Britain’s foreign and even domestic policies are increasingly linked to our continental European partners; at the same time Europe is beginning to see Hong Kong as one of the increasingly important East Asian economies, and European businesses are starting to pay more attention to focusing on new opportunities in rapidly expanding South‐East Asian markets and indeed China. Hong Kong now with its attachments to China will be focusing more on Europe as a whole and trying to gain access to the single European market for enhanced prosperity. The recent inclusion of China in the GATT talks and the collapse of communism have made way for increased opportunity for business in the global economy. This article questions the future importance of Hong Kong for Britain and Europe and assesses whether trade links and business opportunities are likely to be greater in the future for Hong Kong and Europe. It puts specific emphasis on the more recent change in role for Hong Kong and Europe.