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Friday, May 14, 2021, 00:36
Window is closing on HK's innovation, technology hopes
By Naubahar Sharif
Friday, May 14, 2021, 00:36 By Naubahar Sharif

On March 30, a high-powered webinar organized by the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, the Hong Kong Coalition, and the One Country Two Systems Research Institute discussed the “Strategic Planning of the 14th Five-Year Plan and the Opportunities for Hong Kong”. The webinar featured, among other powerful luminaries, China’s minister of science and technology, Wang Zhigang, and Xu Ze, president of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies (and former deputy director of the State Council’s Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office).

As is often the case at such events, a wide variety of views was expressed. Panelists outlined the strengths Hong Kong can draw on to contribute to China’s quest to become a global technological leader. These include academic research as well as basic scientific research (such research is housed mostly in academic settings). Speakers also touched on well-known shortcomings: namely, Hong Kong’s low levels of investment in research and development compared with neighboring cities on the Chinese mainland.

In my opinion, however, the panelists could have stated three hard truths more forcefully and succinctly. First, with a view to the past: There needs to be broad acknowledgment that Hong Kong has by and large already missed the boat. The window of opportunity to participate in the development of China’s science and technology and innovation system opened 20 to 30 years ago, but it has long since narrowed — dramatically so. By not passing through the window decades earlier, Hong Kong has mostly missed out on the opportunity to engage meaningfully with the mainland. Leading mainland cities such as Shenzhen, Hangzhou and Guangzhou have long surpassed Hong Kong when it comes to nurturing science, technology and innovation. We must learn from the foot-dragging of the past to ensure that we “up our game’’, so that we can quickly, nimbly, and flexibly take advantage of what opportunities may arise in the future. 

Hong Kong has mostly missed out on the opportunity to engage meaningfully with the mainland. Leading mainland cities such as Shenzhen, Hangzhou and Guangzhou have long surpassed Hong Kong when it comes to nurturing science, technology and  innovation

Second, focusing on the present: We must acknowledge the extent to which Hong Kong suffers from a serious “mindset problem” when it comes to promoting innovation locally and in the region, and we must tackle that problem. The “mindset problem” reflects several factors, not least the British colonial legacy, by virtue of which the prevailing ethos for governance has been largely “laissez faire” or adherence to “positive non-interventionism”. Historical precedence has shown that almost every economy that has flourished by promoting its innovation system has, at least in the early stages of system development, relied heavily on government support not only to facilitate innovative activity but also to invest directly in such activity. Hong Kong has historically not benefited from such government backing. Even today, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government’s attempts to boost the development of its innovation system can, at best, be characterized as ad hoc and piecemeal.

 Finally, looking to the future: The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area initiative was launched in 2019 to link 11 southern Chinese cities more closely to form an integrated economic and business hub. Among these cities, Hong Kong and Shenzhen have been earmarked as two key hubs for innovation and technology development. If Hong Kong has any aspirations to command a prominent presence on the Greater Bay Area landscape in innovation and technology development, it must take urgent and meaningful steps to integrate itself more deeply and broadly into the region to achieve the aspirations and objectives set out for it in the Greater Bay Area plan. As webinar participants pointed out, the centrality of innovation and technology in Shenzhen differs vastly from Hong Kong’s approach. Without such steps, the “earmarking” of Hong Kong threatens to remain just that — an exercise on paper, not in practice. 

The webinar featuring prominent figures and officials was not the first such event. Similar events have taken place since at least the mid-1990s. It will certainly not be the last such event either. If such events are to make any sort of consequential difference in raising Hong Kong’s stature as an innovation and technology powerhouse, it is critical that meaningful action follows from all the lofty talk. Barring such a call to action, the window that has been closing on us over the past few decades threatens to close shut completely.

The author is an associate professor of public policy at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily. 

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