Two Hong Kong government representatives dropped out of the Bitcoin Asia conference, where Eric Trump will also participate, according to the South China Morning Post.
Hong Kong Officials Avoid Trump, Pull out of Bitcoin Asia Participation: SCMP
28 August 2025 - 11:11 CEST
Eric Yip Chee-hang, executive director of the city’s Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) and Johnny Ng Kit-chong, a Legislative Council member, were both scheduled to speak at the conference.
Yip had been scheduled as one of the keynote speakers of the event. A spokesperson for the SFC stated that his missed attendance was due to a business trip. Replacing him is Clarence Shen, an SFC manager overseeing fintech policy. Ng withdrew for family reasons.
No cooperation
Multiple unnamed sources speaking to the South China Morning Post confirmed “there is a request to lawmakers, asking them not to attend the forum that also features Trump’s son.” The goal is to ensure there is no impression of “cooperating with or flattering” with the Trumps.
US-China relations have been tense since Trump has returned to office. Tariff uncertainty has raised significant economic questions about the relationship between the two countries, and Bitcoin Asia is taking place as Hong Kong is enacting a new set cryptocurrency of cryptocurrency regulations.
The city’s leaders are trying to find a balance between the edgy US-China relationship and the ambition to grow into a world-leading digital asset hub.
Trump touring Asia
Eric Trump is not only participating in Bitcoin Asia on his trip to the continent. He will also be travelling to Tokyo to attend the Metaplanet shareholder meeting on 1 Sept. He was appointed as a strategic advisor to the company in March. Trump-backed bitcoin mining firm American Bitcoin has also been reported as pursuing expansion in Asia.
