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因擔憂中國問題，喬治·奧斯本或將出任匯豐銀行首席執行官引發不安
Alliance News 2025年11月19日
https://global.morningstar.com/en-gb/news/alliance-news/1763557670043019100/jitters-over-george-osborne-in-hsbc-top-job-over-china-fears?
（Alliance News）——英國最大的銀行匯豐控股有限公司在議會中被指責為“中國問題上的罪魁禍首”，原因是人們對前保守黨財政大臣喬治·奧斯本可能執掌這家金融服務巨頭表示擔憂。
此前，英國政府表示，在軍情五處發布間諜威脅警報後，不會容忍北京“秘密且蓄意”幹預英國的企圖。
匯豐銀行與中國的密切關係——該銀行最初成立於香港，並在中國大陸擁有龐大的業務網絡，是重要的投資者——此前也曾引發爭議。這家總部位於倫敦的銀行被指責屈服於中國政府的壓力。
近年來，匯豐銀行曾封禁香港民主運動人士的賬戶，並公開支持一項備受爭議的國安法，該法旨在鎮壓香港的政治異議。
與此同時，據了解，奧斯本在其任期內曾大力倡導與北京建立更緊密的聯係，他已進入匯豐銀行董事長候選人名單，接替於9月卸任的馬克·塔克爵士。
早在2015年擔任財政大臣時，奧斯本就曾宣布英中關係進入“黃金時代”，其基礎是貿易和投資。
隨後，奧斯本在2021年祝賀時任首相鮑裏斯·約翰遜“擊退了保守黨後座議員中那些希望對中國人權記錄采取更強硬立場的激進分子”。
奧斯本當時主張與北京接觸而非對抗。
周二，安全事務大臣丹·賈維斯在下議院發表部長聲明稱，軍情五處表示，中國正試圖“招募和培養”能夠接觸到議會和英國政府敏感信息的人員，這些人往往通過掩護公司和獵頭公司進行活動。
他宣布了一係列旨在遏製這些威脅的措施，其中包括“削弱外國政府用來幹預和間諜活動、針對我國民主機構的代理掩護公司、組織和個人的生態係統”。
中國大使館發言人表示，中國否認了這些指控，並就此警告向英國政府提出了“嚴正交涉”。
針對上議院的部長聲明，記者兼前報紙編輯查爾斯·摩爾（Charles Moore，埃奇厄姆勳爵）回應道：“政府在聲明中表達了‘削弱代理投票公司生態係統’的意願。
“我並非直接指責我即將提及的這家銀行是代理投票公司，但我想指出，這種做法在中國存在著巨大的既得利益，而這會導致弱點。
“英國最大的銀行匯豐銀行在這方麵犯下了嚴重的錯誤。
“眾所周知，匯豐銀行曾關閉了香港社會民主同盟的三個賬戶。”
這位作家兼無黨派貴族補充道：“我不想過於個人化，但聽說黃金時代的喬治·奧斯本（George Osborne）是匯豐銀行新任主席的候選人，這實在令人擔憂。”
“如果他擔任主席，我認為我們不會看到政府采取非常嚴格的措施來打擊中國的非法活動。”
“我想問政府，即使是像匯豐銀行這樣的大型機構，是否也應該受到更嚴格的監管。”
記者已聯係奧斯本和匯豐銀行征求意見。
周三，匯豐銀行股價在倫敦下跌0.4%，至1051.80便士。
尼克·萊斯特，首席上議院記者
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Jitters over George Osborne in HSBC top job over China fears
The criticism came as the government said it would not tolerate "covert and calculated" attempts by Beijing to interfere in the UK after MI5 issued an alert over spying threats.
HSBC's close ties with China, being originally founded in Hong Kong and a significant investor on the mainland where it has a major network presence, has previously been a source of controversy, with the London-based bank accused of caving in to pressure by the authoritarian regime.
This has included, in recent years, blocking the accounts of pro-democracy campaigners in the former British colony and publicly backing a controversial security law which cracked down on political dissent in the territory.
Meanwhile, Osborne, who championed closer links with Beijing during his time in office, is understood to be on the shortlist of candidates to take over as HSBC's chairman after Sir Mark Tucker stepped down in September.
As chancellor back in 2015, he had declared a "golden era" of UK-China relations based on trade and investment.
He subsequently congratulated the then-prime minister Boris Johnson in 2021 for "seeing off the hotheads" on the Tory backbenches who wanted a more hawkish approach to China over its human rights record.
Osborne argued at the time for engagement with Beijing rather than confrontation.
In a ministerial statement on Tuesday, security minister Dan Jarvis told the Commons that MI5 had said China was attempting to "recruit and cultivate" individuals with access to sensitive information about Parliament and the UK Government, often masked through cover companies and head-hunters.
He announced a package of measures to disrupt the threats, including steps "to degrade the ecosystem of proxy cover companies, organisations and individuals being used by foreign states to facilitate interference and espionage targeting our democratic institutions".
China has denied the allegations and lodged "stern representations" with the UK Government over the warning, an embassy spokesman said.
Responding to the ministerial statement in the House of Lords, journalist and former newspaper editor Charles Moore, who sits as Lord Moore of Etchingham, said: "In the statement, the government express their desire to 'degrade the ecosystem of proxy cover companies'.
"I am not quite accusing the bank I am going to mention of being a proxy cover company, but I would point out the enormous level of vested interest in China in this way, which leads to weakness.
"Britain's biggest bank, HSBC, is a major sinner in this respect.
"HSBC famously closed down three accounts of the League of Social Democrats in Hong Kong."
The author and non-affiliated peer added: "Without wishing to be too personal, it is not wildly encouraging to hear that George Osborne, he of the golden era, is a candidate to be the new chairman of HSBC.
"If he was chairman, I do not imagine that we would get a very rigorous attempt to clamp down on Chinese illegitimate activity.
"I ask the government whether even huge organisations, such as HSBC, should be more carefully monitored."
Both Osborne and HSBC have been contacted for comment.
HSBC shares were down 0.4% at 1,051.80 pence in London on Wednesday.
By Nick Lester, Chief Lords Reporter
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