"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2019-08-12T13:33:45Z"
data-video-section="business"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/business/2019/08/12/hong-kong-protest-airport-wedeman-lkl-first-move.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="hong kong protest airport wedeman lkl first move"
data-first-publish-slug="hong kong protest airport wedeman lkl first move"
data-video-tags="accidents, disasters and safety,air transportation,air transportation safety,air travel incidents,airlines,airports,airports (by name),asia,ben wedeman,business and industry sectors,business, economy and trade,china,civil disobedience,continents and regions,east asia,hong kong,hong kong international airport,hong kong protests,misc people,points of interest,protests and demonstrations,safety issues and practices,society,transportation and warehousing,travel and tourism,travel safety and security"
data-details="">
Video Ad Feedback
Hong Kong airport cancels all flights as protests continue
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2019-08-12T13:33:45Z"
data-video-section="business"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/business/2019/08/12/hong-kong-protest-airport-wedeman-lkl-first-move.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="hong kong protest airport wedeman lkl first move"
data-first-publish-slug="hong kong protest airport wedeman lkl first move"
data-video-tags="accidents, disasters and safety,air transportation,air transportation safety,air travel incidents,airlines,airports,airports (by name),asia,ben wedeman,business and industry sectors,business, economy and trade,china,civil disobedience,continents and regions,east asia,hong kong,hong kong international airport,hong kong protests,misc people,points of interest,protests and demonstrations,safety issues and practices,society,transportation and warehousing,travel and tourism,travel safety and security"
data-details="">
Video Ad Feedback
Hong Kong airport cancels all flights as protests continue
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2022-04-29T14:16:37Z"
data-video-section="business"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/business/2022/04/29/shanghai-covid-lockdown-china-economy-lu-stout-vpx.cnnbusiness"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="shanghai covid lockdown china economy lu stout vpx"
data-first-publish-slug="shanghai covid lockdown china economy lu stout vpx"
data-video-tags="asia,business, economy and trade,china,continents and regions,coronavirus,diseases and disorders,east asia,east china,economic indicators,economy and economic indicators,health and medical,infectious diseases,kristie lu stout,life forms,microscopic life,misc people,respiratory diseases,shanghai,viruses"
data-details="">
Video Ad Feedback
Analyst: 'Lockdown in Shanghai will rock China's economy'
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2022-02-01T17:18:13Z"
data-video-section="business"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/business/2022/02/01/soros-on-china-and-xi-jinping-orig.cnn-business"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="Soros on China and Xi Jinping orig"
data-first-publish-slug="Soros on China and Xi Jinping orig"
data-video-tags=""
data-details="">
Video Ad Feedback
"China is facing an economic crisis": Soros on China and Xi Jinping
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2022-01-17T16:40:30Z"
data-video-section="business"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/business/2022/01/17/china-gdp-economy-patrick-chovanec.cnnbusiness"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="china gdp economy patrick chovanec"
data-first-publish-slug="china gdp economy patrick chovanec"
data-video-tags="asia,business and industry sectors,business, economy and trade,china,continents and regions,east asia,economic conditions,economy and economic indicators,real estate"
data-details="">
Video Ad Feedback
Covid and the real estate crisis weigh on China's economy
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2022-01-14T09:17:09Z"
data-video-section="business"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/business/2022/01/14/hong-kong-zero-covid-supply-chain-lu-stout-pkg-intl-hnk-vpx.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="Hong Kong zero covid supply chain lu stout pkg intl hnk vpx"
data-first-publish-slug="Hong Kong zero covid supply chain lu stout pkg intl hnk vpx"
data-video-tags="asia,border control,china,communicable disease control,continents and regions,coronavirus,coronavirus pandemic,diseases and disorders,east asia,epidemics and outbreaks,health and medical,hong kong,infectious diseases,international relations,international relations and national security,kristie lu stout,life forms,microscopic life,misc people,national security,public health,respiratory diseases,territorial and national borders,viruses"
data-details="">
Video Ad Feedback
Pandemic empties one of the world's busiest airports
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2021-12-29T22:45:55Z"
data-video-section="business"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/media/2021/12/29/hong-kong-news-outlet-closes-police-raid-stand-news-pkg.cnnbusiness"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="hong kong news outlet closes police raid stand news pkg"
data-first-publish-slug="hong kong news outlet closes police raid stand news pkg"
data-video-tags="activism,arrests,asia,business and industry sectors,business, economy and trade,china,continents and regions,crime, law enforcement and corrections,criminal law,democracy,east asia,forms of government,government and public administration,hong kong,ivan watson,journalism and news media,law and legal system,law enforcement,media industry,misc people,policing and police forces,politics,society"
data-details="">
Video Ad Feedback
Hong Kong independent news outlet closes after police raid and arrests
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2021-12-28T21:58:37Z"
data-video-section="business"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/business/2021/12/28/space-x-china-satellite-elon-musk-starlink.cnnbusiness"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="space x china satellite elon musk starlink"
data-first-publish-slug="space x china satellite elon musk starlink"
data-video-tags="asia,aviation and aerospace industry,business and industry sectors,business figures,business, economy and trade,china,companies,continents and regions,east asia,elon musk,government and public administration,government bodies and offices,government departments and authorities,international relations,international relations and national security,ivan watson,misc people,north america,roads and traffic,satellite industry,space and astronomy,space exploration,space industry,space stations,spacecraft and satellites,spacex,state departments and diplomatic services,technology,telecommunications industry,the americas,transportation and warehousing,transportation infrastructure,united states"
data-details="">
Video Ad Feedback
China slams Elon Musk and US claiming SpaceX satellites endangered Chinese
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2021-12-21T14:59:39Z"
data-video-section="business"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/business/2021/12/21/china-government-fines-livestreamer-viya-tax-evasion-lkl-intl-vpx.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="china government fines livestreamer viya tax evasion lkl intl vpx"
data-first-publish-slug="china government fines livestreamer viya tax evasion lkl intl vpx"
data-video-tags="arts and entertainment,asia,broadcasting industry,business and industry sectors,business, economy and trade,celebrities,celebrity and pop culture,china,consumer behavior,continents and regions,crime, law enforcement and corrections,criminal offenses,digital and streaming video,east asia,economic indicators,economy and economic indicators,fines and penalties,fraud and financial crimes,government and public administration,internet and www,internet broadcasting,law and legal system,media industry,movie and video industry,newspapers,public finance,publishing industry,social media,streaming media,tax avoidance,tax fraud,taxes and taxation,technology,trial and procedure"
data-details="">
Video Ad Feedback
Chinese 'live-streaming queen' hit with huge tax evasion penalty
Companies are being forced to draw up contingency plans for events in Hong Kong as the city grapples with weeks of disruption from massive protests that disrupted nearly 1,000 flights this week.
BlackRock
(BLK), the world’s largest asset manager, confirmed to CNN Business on Wednesday that it has postponed a conference that was supposed to take place in the city next month.
The company’s Asia Pacific Forum, a two-day event at the Four Seasons Hotel, will now be held in February. The gathering usually brings in senior BlackRock executives and more than 100 clients.
BlackRock did not specifically mention the protests in its statement. But the company said it is “adjusting the schedule so that as many partners as possible from across Asia are able to join.”
“The power of this event lies in the diverse range of perspectives brought together for discussion and debate,” a BlackRock spokesperson said.
The last-minute shift doesn’t appear to have interrupted other operations at the company so far. BlackRock executives continue to travel to Hong Kong on a regular basis, and several speakers scheduled to participate in the event still plan to visit Hong Kong for client meetings and discussions, according to a person familiar with the matter.
A tram moving past a BlackRock advertisement in Admiralty, Hong Kong.
Lam Yik Fei/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The investment company is not alone in rethinking its plans.
CLSA, a major brokerage owned by China’s CITIC Securities
(CTPCF), said its annual investor conference would take place as planned in Hong Kong next month.
But the company told CNN Business that it was “monitoring the protests closely to ensure the safety of clients and staff,” and adding extra security to ensure that only invited guests would be allowed entry.
“CLSA is currently working on a contingency plan,” a company spokesperson said. “We are working with the hotel to ensure the security of all delegates.”
Business leaders have started speaking out more forcefully on the issue. This week, some of Hong Kong’s billionaires called for an end to the protests and expressed their support for the government.
Other business institutions said the demonstrations are a concern for the local economy.
“The occupation of the airport by protesters and forcing its closure caused unnecessary distress and financial losses for both local and international travelers, as well as airlines,” the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce said in a statement Wednesday. “Left unaddressed, the closure of the airport would have seriously tarnished Hong Kong’s reputation and role as an air transport hub for the region.”
The latest showdown is extremely concerning for businesses, because it echoes “all over the world,” said Davide De Rosa, chairman of the European Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong.
“It just simply doesn’t look good,” he added. “It’s a very worrying situation for the businesses or for the companies doing business in Hong Kong, and then for Hong Kong itself.”
Correction: A previous version of this story gave an incorrect name for BlackRock's event.
