Speech by FS at National Day of Sweden reception 2026 (English only) (with photos/video)
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Consul General Ms Louise Bergholm (Consul General of Sweden to Hong Kong), Deputy Commissioner Zhang (Deputy Commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Mr Zhang Changwei, members of the diplomatic community in Hong Kong, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Good afternoon.
It is a pleasure to be here today in honour of the National Day of the Kingdom of Sweden. And to be speaking to so many members of our industrious and enterprising Swedish business community in Hong Kong.
I'm sure today's reception will be followed by many family-and-friend gatherings throughout Hong Kong and well beyond.
And there's more to follow in Sweden this month. Two weeks from now, it's the Nordic Midsummer Celebration, featuring everything from ice baths to pickled herring - and more.
According to the Swedish Chamber in Hong Kong, Midsummer is, and I quote, "the one day when even the most reserved Swede will dance around a flower-covered pole pretending to be a small frog."
A country that has given the world Astrid Lindgren can do anything it wants. Lindgren was the author of many internationally celebrated children's books, including Pippi Longstocking.
Pippi, of course, was the strongest girl in the world, able to lift a horse with one hand. She was also kind and compassionate, a reflection of the author's longstanding beliefs that strength should go hand in hand with kindness. Lindgren once wrote, and I quote, "If you are very strong, you must also be very kind."
That is a message for children, and for their parents, no doubt. But it is also one that speaks to countries, economies and their leaders.
In today's fraught geopolitical world, a little kindness, openness to other beliefs and values, and willingness to appreciate their circumstances, can go a long way. After all, we know that differences exist between cultures, histories, ways of life and paths to good governance. But differences need not divide us; they can be a starting point for mutual respect, deeper understanding, and learning from one another.
Hong Kong, like our country, firmly believes in these values. We believe in keeping our doors wide open to the world - to economies, companies and talent, in trade and investment, as in arts, culture, education and the essential people bonds that underlie them all.
And I'm pleased to say that there is far-reaching opportunity in Hong Kong's good and growing ties with Sweden.
Our bilateral merchandise trade last year rose by a cheering 11.5 per cent over the previous year, to about US$950 million. Services trade, too, grew by nearly 8 per cent in 2024, to about US$900 million.
The Swedish Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong is a strong testament to our enduring business ties. This year, the Chamber celebrates its remarkable 40th anniversary - 40 years of bringing Hong Kong and Swedish businesses together.
Hong Kong is proud to offer Swedish companies a favourable and dynamic business environment. The recent Business Climate Survey, conducted by Team Sweden in Hong Kong, points to a steady improvement in how Swedish companies perceive Hong Kong's business climate over the past three years. The survey also shows that 67 per cent of them use Hong Kong as a regional hub.
Our role as a gateway to the Chinese Mainland, our business potential, free market economy, and simple and low tax regime remain the most appealing advantages for Swedish companies here.
And I believe these advantages will only grow stronger in the time to come. The National 15th Five-Year Plan places strong emphasis on the country's high-level two-way opening up. Our country will continue to support more outbound investment, while welcoming more high-quality foreign goods and services into its market.
This is a process of further leveraging the complementary strengths among economic partners. And I am sure that more Swedish and European goods and services will be welcomed by the expanding and increasingly sophisticated consumer market on the Chinese Mainland.
And Hong Kong can certainly help Swedish enterprises seize the opportunities ahead.
The potential for our collaboration in innovation and technology is equally compelling. Hong Kong is rising fast as an international innovation and technology centre, supported by the accelerated development of the Northern Metropolis. Sweden has world-class innovation capabilities and industrial strengths. There is much we can achieve together.
Hong Kong attaches great importance to AI (artificial intelligence), for we believe in its transformative power.
There is much scope for collaboration with Sweden in AI - from research and application to education and talent development. A recent study by Statistics Sweden reports that 35 per cent of Swedish companies used at least one form of AI technology last year, well above the European Union average of 20 per cent.
Then there is life science and health technology. Sweden is a global leader in this field, which is also our priority development area. It sounds like a natural fit.
For example, Hetao - or the Loop - along the Shenzhen River is fast becoming a major hub for life and health technologies. Over there, we are enabling the cross-boundary flow of biological samples and clinical data. We are also working to host a branch of the Mainland's regulatory authority. That will facilitate quicker access of pharmaceutical products and medical devices to the Chinese Mainland market.
In fact, Mainland and overseas clinical trial institutions are already operating there. A number of world-class pharmaceutical companies have established their presence in Hetao.
Beyond business and investment, our partnership can extend to many other areas, from arts and culture to sports. Speaking of which, the world will soon be watching Sweden - and 47 other countries, playing in the FIFA World Cup, which gets going next week. Good luck, blue and yellow!
Ladies and gentlemen, my heartfelt congratulations on your National Day. May the friendship between Hong Kong and Sweden continue to flourish, and may our partnership grow even stronger in the years to come. Thank you very much.
Ends/Friday, June 5, 2026
Issued at HKT 14:55
Issued at HKT 14:55
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