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Abstract We construct a string theory in three-dimensional anti-de Sitter space-time that is independent of the boundary metric. It is a topologically twisted theory of quantum gravity. We study string theories with an asymptotic N = 2 superconformal symmetry and demonstrate that, when the world sheet coupling to the space-time boundary metric undergoes a U(1) R-symmetry twist, the space-time boundary energy-momentum tensor becomes topological. As a by-product of our analysis, we obtain the world sheet vertex operator that codes the space-time energy-momentum for conformally flat boundary metrics.