HK to reap 'high stability' from Xi-Trump consensus

Executive Council convenor Regina Ip said Hong Kong will benefit in various ways now that a Sino-US consensus has been reached on building a constructive relationship of strategic stability. That consensus emerged following this week's summit between President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump, with the Foreign Ministry saying the two leaders had "reached a series of new common understandings". Speaking after attending a radio programme on Saturday, Ip said a more stable relationship would develop between the two great powers, with Trump saying that three more meetings would be held this year with Xi. "I think this strategic stability will be of great benefit in that, as part of China, Hong Kong will enjoy high stability, at least in the months to come, and we have seen our trade flourish in the first quarter because of China's rebound in trade despite Trump's tariffs," she said. For example, Ip said, a stable Sino-US relationship will benefit the SAR's trade and financial sectors. She also said the city could make use of its extensive exchanges with the United States in the finance and education sectors to help the nation foster Sino-US relations in public health, educational, cultural as well as people-to-people exchanges. Ip also expressed hope that disruptive and unpredictable developments would not occur with the ongoing summit-level diplomacy. Edited by Thomas McAlinden