BreakingviewsHong Kong-on-Thames lies in not-too-distant future Karen Kwok 7 minute read A picture is taken in Convoys Wharf, a riverside site in Deptford in London, Britain, February 14, 2021. On the south bank of the River Thames in London, halfway between London Bridge and Greenwich, is a plot of land that has been deserted for about 15 years. A heavily guarded fence is the only clue for passing pedestrians that the derelict 17-hectare site is potentially valuable. If all goes to plan, however, it could soon become a high-profile symbol of Hong Kongâs growing influence in the British capital. For CK Asset (1113.HK), the plot known as Convoys Wharf is a long-term bet. The $22 billion property group founded by Li Ka-shing, Hong Kongâs best-known tycoon, spent years fighting for approvals to build homes there after purchasing the former Royal Navy base for 100 million pounds in 2005. Permission came through last July, just as Prime Minister Boris Johnson unveiled a new path to British citizenship that is open to millions of Hong Kong residents. The combination of bold developers and new arrivals could provide a shot in the arm for the capitalâs pandemic-afflicted property market.