Top EU envoy in Hong Kong says alleged Russian transshipments a ‘major concern’

Hong Kong’s alleged transshipment of Western-sanctioned dual-use goods for Russia’s war effort in Ukraine remains a “major concern” for the European Union, the bloc’s top envoy in the city has said.

At an event on Friday to mark Ukraine’s Independence Day, Harvey Rouse, the head of the EU office in Hong Kong, said he had continued to raise the issue with city authorities and hoped there could be “progress together”.

“It remains a major concern that Russia keeps receiving dual-use goods for its war machine,” Rouse said, referring to products such as materials, technology or equipment that can be used for both civilian and military purposes.

“This is something we will keep raising here with the Hong Kong authorities.”

Rouse later said: “It’s a very important issue … we hope that we can make progress together [with Hong Kong authorities].”

In a reply to the Post, a Hong Kong government spokesman said the administration had “all along been implementing fully and enforcing vigorously” sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council.