HSBC chairman Mark Tucker voice out for the first time about the ongoing unrest in Hong Kong in an interview with Chinese state media, condemning protestor violence and backing the «one country, two systems» framework.
«We strongly condemn violence of any sort, any kind of disruption to communities where customers, staff and shareholders are based,» said Tucker in a recent interview with China Central Television. «We clearly have deep concerns.»
According to Tucker, HSBC continues to have confidence in Hong Kong’s future as a financial center, citing a resilient and deep capital market coupled with globally reputable logistics and professional services. He added that the bank looked forward to participating in China’s growth story and would support international companies seeking business opportunities in the country.
Not Unconditional
Despite a seemingly positive outlook, Tucker noted that the bank’s support was not unconditional.
«Its rule of law is essential to its status as an international financial center,» he said. «And we fully support the resolving of the issues peacefully, but under the framework of one country, two systems.»
In response to an inquiry from finews.asia regarding the initial worker strike in Hong Kong last month, the bank highlighted the safety of its employees and customer support as its priorities but also added that it respected that its employees had «their own personal views on political and social matters».
