Editor’s note: The treatise Hong Kong in the Belt and Road Initiative was published in the special administrative region last month. The edition includes fresh updates on the national vision since a Chinese version was released four years ago. The chief editor of the book, Lam Kin-chung, gives a personal account in the foreword about some of the latest developments. It is as follows:

The Chinese edition of Hong Kong in the Belt and Road Initiative was published in 2016 and achieved overwhelming success. It was quite exceptional for this kind of book to attain a second edition and to sell out all copies. I have been involved in civil diplomacy for 16 years and hope the English version can deepen the understanding of Hong Kong’s role in the Belt and Road Initiative among think tanks of foreign countries. Of course, developments between 2016 and 2019 are included in the English version as well.

What inspired me from this experience is that all cooperation agreements signed by China and other countries should assign Hong Kong to be the city of jurisdiction and appoint Hong Kong accountancy firms as auditors. There is no doubt that Hong Kong young people will benefit under such a policy. Hong Kong adolescents can be trained as genuine world citizens, a positive development for the stability of Hong Kong

Developments in the Belt and Road Initiative during the past six years have been fruitful, but there have been some hurdles. As chief editor of this book, my contribution was limited to providing the outline and inviting entrepreneurs and scholars to participate in composing the chapters. Detailed elaborations of success and difficult case studies can be found in the book. I think it is not appropriate for me to repeat them in this foreword. As an entrepreneur, I would prefer to share my personal experience with you in the following paragraphs.

President Xi Jinping has outlined the five principles of the Belt and Road Initiative. Among them, I think “People’s Heart Connection” is the most important issue. State-owned enterprises typically invest in massive infrastructure projects under the Belt and Road umbrella. The objective may be right, but the masses might not benefit from them in the short term. Some projects have been halted because of changes to the government authorities. As a real estate merchant, I chose Indonesia as my pioneer project. On Aug 8, 2017, I had a formal meeting with then-national vice-president Jusuf Kalla in his office. I proposed a low-cost housing project in the form of BOT (build-operate-transfer) for a period of 30 years. An SOE would be a minor shareholder in our joint venture company. Funding would be provided from my side, and on the other hand, the SOE shareholder would be responsible for rent collection and act as a guarantor. It was my firm belief that this kind of project would be welcomed by underprivileged Indonesians. The deal finally fell through mainly due to my insistence that the city of jurisdiction for the joint venture be registered in Hong Kong. In case of any dispute, the arbitration would be heard in court either in Hong Kong or in London, both of which follow common law principles. On Feb 1, 2019, the governor of Jakarta greeted me warmly in his office. Nevertheless, I was much more concerned about the assurance of investment returns and following common law in case of disputes.

What inspired me from this experience is that all cooperation agreements signed by China and other countries should assign Hong Kong to be the city of jurisdiction and appoint Hong Kong accountancy firms as auditors. There is no doubt that Hong Kong young people will benefit under such a policy. Hong Kong adolescents can be trained as genuine world citizens, a positive development for the stability of Hong Kong. It is my sincere wish that my limited viewpoints and experience will arouse the interests from the specialists.

Last but not least, I owe my heartfelt thanks to Professor Yeung Yue-Man. Without his guidance and help, this book would never have come to fruition. Of course, I should thank the authors, the supporting staff, the Chinese University of Hong Kong Press, Dr Leung Chun-ying, the Hong Kong Cultural Development Research Institute, Chairman Peter Kin-ngok Lam, Professor Li Xiaohui, Dr Ho Hau-wong, and many others. Thousands of words of thanks could not fully express my gratitude to everyone for their contributions to this book.

Needless to say, all remaining shortcomings are my own.

I dedicate this book to the memory of my mother, Madame Tang Lin. She raised three children on her own but always encouraged me to devote my best efforts to the well-being of the world. She co-founded our Strong Man Investment Ltd in 1988 and Lam Kin Chung Morning Sun Charity Fund in 1992. She began resting peacefully at the age of 79 on Sept 30, 2019.

If you read:

Hong Kong in the Belt and Road Initiative
Chief editor: Lam Kin-chung;
Edited by Cai Chimeng,
Dai Jinping and Li Xiaohui

The Chinese University of Hong Kong Press