Interview | Zhou Wengang, the researcher to govern Hong Kong: Studying for the rise of China, participating in politics for the grassroots and upper class

"Upward mobility" is like an "urban legend" in Hong Kong today, but it is a social structural feature of the golden age. In the seventh legislative council election that has kicked off, many candidates advertised themselves as "legendary." "Upper" example.

"Look at my suit and bones. Actually, I was born at the grassroots level. I lived in cubicles for more than 10 years, and then lived in public housing for more than 10 years. After graduation, I was carrying hundreds of thousands of dollars in student debt. After working for three years, I finally saved up to the first phase of buying a HOS flat. Later I had the opportunity to switch to a private residential unit, which successfully improved the lives of my family." Zhou Wengang, an economic and teaching policy scholar who teaches at Lingnan University, is one of them. But he knows that the times are different. Hong Kong has long lacked economic growth momentum for a long time. Only by pushing the SAR government to actively improve the economic industry and educational innovation policies can the next generation change their destiny through knowledge.

Zhou Wengang, a post-80s economic and teaching policy scholar who teaches at Lingnan University, was able to change his destiny through knowledge in an era of smooth upward mobility.

(Photo by Gong Jiasheng)

Andy Lau guided on the patriotic road

"For Hong Kong and the country's public policy research and initiatives, I can say "from having hair to less hair, from less hair to gray hair"." Zhou Wengang, a candidate for the Legislative Council Election Committee, said in a leaflet I describe myself like this because he has been engaged in public policy research in labor unions, chambers of commerce, think tanks, and many universities for more than 10 years after graduating from university. He is a director of the National Hong Kong and Macau Research Association; although he looks old and prudent and his temples are a bit gray, he is indeed an out-and-out "post-80s" who has just turned 40 this year.

Most people in general keep away from "scholars", thinking that they are always inaccessible on the "ivory tower", or even unsmiling, but at the beginning of his visit to Zhou Wengang, he easily opened the conversation with "Andy Lau".

"Please don't be offended, my English name is "Andy", because I have liked Andy Lau since I was a child, and it can even be said that he is one of the key figures who led me to the patriotic road." Zhou Wengang explained incessantly, the source of the incident. Andy Lau once played an anti-Japanese air force in the movie "The Three Lovers in the Sky". In order to support the other party to the theater to watch the movie, he was filled with righteous indignation at the plot that "Chinese people are always bullying." A "patriotism" made him a staunchly patriotic educator.

Young people who have to enter society after graduation will inevitably get confused when faced with the problem of insufficient upward mobility.

(Information Picture / Photograph by Jiang Zhiqian)

"Reading for the rise of China"

But when it comes to "patriotism," Zhou Wengang becomes serious.

In fact, if you want to go back to the source, the father who taught Zhou Wengang from a young age to "study for the rise of China" was his enlightenment: "But my dad didn't go to much school, and it was only in the turbulent times. Ordinary people who came to Hong Kong from Guangdong started working as a part-timer, and later started a small business, relying on him to feed our family alone; perhaps because of being poor, suffering, and suffering, he even urged me to study hard, read, and read newspapers. , I hope that I will make a fortune in the future, glorify my ancestors, and revitalize China."

Zhou Wengang added that after reading the book about the founding premier Zhou Enlai in the library, he realized that his father’s heart of "reading for the rise of China" was originally closely related to Premier Zhou-Zhou Enlai left his hometown of Zhejiang to study in the Northeast when he was 12 years old, and he was very interested in the prosperous concession. The sluggishness of China reflected was deeply touched; later in a self-cultivation class, when the principal asked the students what they were studying for, and the classmates rushed to answer for reason, to be an official, to earn money, and to study for food, Zhou Enlai said instead. It was "studying for the rise of China", and the principal couldn't help applauding him after listening: "Those who have lofty ideals should serve as Zhou Sheng!"

Zhou Wengang participated in the election of the 7th Legislative Council Election Committee, hoping to give full play to his strengths and use a scientific, pragmatic, and rational attitude to promote the SAR government to actively improve the economic industry and educational innovation policies.

(Photo by Gong Jiasheng)

Successfully buy a home by hitting three jobs every three years

Because of his patriotism, Zhou Wengang was very interested in the country, nation and social current affairs since he was a child. Later, he went to Baptist University to major in history.

Also because of his patriotism, Zhou Wengang had long aspired to work in public administration in the future. Unfortunately, he was unsuccessfully elected as an administrative officer. He went to the Chinese University and the College of Education to study separately, and finally obtained a Ph.D. in Economics and Sociology at the University of Hong Kong. The two "very well-known and low-key" policy research scholars have since embarked on the path of paying equal attention to teaching and research, and have published at least 20 monographs, series and research reports.

It is also because of patriotism. In that era when Hong Kong’s economic development and education level was still far ahead of the surrounding areas, Zhou Wengang has traveled all over the country, actively communicating with universities from all over the country, and slowly witnessing the rise of national strength and the rapid progress of the education system. , I also feel more and more about the poor economic growth of Hong Kong and the conservative education system.

Finally, because of patriotism, in order to show responsibility, Zhou Wengang decided to go from behind the scenes of policy research to the front of the stage of solving problems.

"Look at my suit and bones. Actually, I was born at the grassroots level. I lived in cubicles for more than 10 years, and then lived in public housing for more than 10 years. After graduation, I was carrying hundreds of thousands of dollars in student debt. After working for three years, I finally saved up to the first phase of buying a HOS flat. Later I had the opportunity to switch to a private residential unit, which successfully improved the lives of my family.” Zhou Wengang was interviewed in self-promotion videos, online media election forums, and "Hong Kong 01" During the period, he repeatedly told the story of his success.

I believe everyone is familiar with these kinds of statements, because a generation like him in his 30s and 40s just caught up with the last train of the "Golden Era" in Hong Kong, so there are also "upward mobility" karaoke singers, which can also complete the "property imitation". The dream of getting rich”; but today, despite the anti-amendment turmoil in 2019 and the severe economic setback caused by the new crown virus epidemic in 2020, Hong Kong has long been trapped in a single industry, backward innovation and technology, stagnation of the upper class, and indistribution. In the plight of Jun, many people can be described as "there is no place to live, and no place to burial in death."

The annual GDP is still outstanding, and the fiscal revenue of the SAR government is also considerable, but the grassroots often cannot share the fruits of prosperity fairly.

(Photo provided by the Association of Community Organizations)

Three arrows in the political platform: economy, education, youth

Like many recent legislative candidates who advertised that they "lived in sub-districted houses and survived poverty", Zhou Wengang also emphasized that he empathizes with the bitterness of the current grassroots and young people, so he hopes to give full play to his strengths and use scientific, pragmatic, and rational methods. Attitude, committed to promoting the SAR government to actively improve the economic industry and education innovation policies, so as to help the next generation to change their destiny through knowledge like him.

His campaign platform starts from the three aspects of economy, education, and youth, and covers six major areas, including broadening the economic structure, improving public administration; improving the education system, promoting the development of science and technology, solving housing difficulties, and caring for the livelihood of young people.

Taking the "sound education system" as an example, Zhou Wengang believes that Hong Kong should establish an innovative education system "compatible with one country, two systems" in order to promote the development of the "government, industry, learning, and research" four parties, including financial industry, service industry, and manufacturing. The industry provides a new development engine and contributes to Hong Kong's overall national development; but he did not elaborate on the relevant plans.

The Hong Kong Alliance for Science and Technology Innovation Education (formerly known as the Hong Kong STEM Education Alliance), under which he is the vice chairman, has co-organized the "Mainland and Hong Kong STEM Teacher Training Course" with the Chinese Academy of Educational Sciences. Policy Research on Youth Science and Technology Innovation Skills.

As for "expanding the economic landscape," Zhou Wengang believes that the two-way isolation-free "customs clearance" between Hong Kong and the Mainland should be restored as soon as possible. At that time, we must "strengthen internal relations" and take advantage of the "14th Five-Year Plan" to firmly grasp the situation. The economic and business opportunities that the mainland can bring to the middle-income group with a population of 400 million people are believed to provide an important foundation for the revitalization of Hong Kong’s service industry and manufacturing industry. .

However, instead of turning to a knowledge-based economy, developing diversified industries, and reorganizing talent strategies, Zhou Wengang is more concerned about the large number of grassroots employees engaged in service industries such as tourism, retail, hotels, and catering, reiterating that only the pre-epidemic ecology can be restored. In order to maintain their livelihoods.

Zhou Wengang was also inspired by his father's dying experience and determined to improve the elderly's elderly problems.

However, unlike "Hong Kong 01" and the long-term improvement of social structure such as universal retirement protection and minimum living wage advocated by many concern groups, Zhou Wengang is more inclined to redistribute funding from social welfare agencies to avoid monopoly of resources by leading agencies.

Zhou Wengang also mentioned that more than 10 years ago, he studied how to deal with the problem of population ageing. At that time, in addition to surrendering the insurance, some people also advocated a negative tax system. He believes that the "elderly living allowance" can be standardized to 3,800 yuan, which has made some progress. "Of course. , This improvement process can be done even better.”

Zhou Wengang is quite confident in the research work over the past 10 years, because some of the research results have been adopted by policies.

(Provided by interviewee)

Part of the research is satisfied by the government’s adoption

Huang Youjia, the representative of the Hong Kong National People's Congress who nominated Zhou Wengang, and Yao Zuhui, chairman of the Council of Lingnan University, praised him as one of the few Hong Kong scholars who know the central policy very well. The policy research is very meticulous and it is a reference for the government.

Zhou Wengang is also quite confident in the research work over the past 10 years, because some of the research results have been adopted by policies.

For example, the "Consultant Research Report on Hong Kong-owned Manufacturing Operations in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Contributions to the Bay Area’s Economy, and Transformation and Livelihood Development Strategies" published in June last year and commissioned by the Hong Kong Chinese Manufacturers’ Association. The General Administration and other big data methods have obtained specific figures and changes in the number of Hong Kong-owned manufacturing enterprises, number of employees, registered capital, operating profit, etc. in the nine cities in the Greater Bay Area in recent years to help the SAR government re-understand these ports. The capital manufacturing industry plays an important leading role in Hong Kong's overall economy under the "extended development" model, and has been invited by relevant policy officials to hold detailed discussions.

It can be said that compared with other scholars in Hong Kong who study local public policies, Zhou Wengang has been quite lucky. After all, the SAR government has always paid little attention to policy suggestions outside the system. This has also led to the failure of universities and private academic institutions to perform effectively. The role of the "weapon of the country" will naturally not invest more resources to discuss local issues in depth.

Zhou Wengang said that the problem is that the current higher education system is based on academics and does not attach importance to policy research, let alone popularize the "transformation and application of scientific research results" (commonly known as "scientific research commercialization").

He promised that after he was elected, he would work hard to break down the walls of higher education policies and create a new ecosystem.

Zhou Wengang believes that the Singapore model can be followed to improve youth problems. As long as "there is land and HDB flats," there will be national recognition.

(Information Picture/Photo by Zheng Zifeng)

Advocate the establishment of a Hong Kong model "Development and Reform Commission" in charge of political research

Another crux of the failure of policy research is that civil servants have low flexibility, so they cannot actively absorb the opinions of think tanks.

In September 2017, Zhou Wengang and Huang Youjia co-published the article "Learning from World Experience to Promote the Modernization of Hong Kong's Public Policy Research Institutions" in the journal Bauhinia Forum. They pointed out that there are research think tanks in all provinces and cities in the world or even in the Mainland because this is One of the important forces to promote public administration and social progress, and Hong Kong’s implementation of the “capitalist” system in the special administrative regions of “socialist” countries is a major historical issue. In particular, it is necessary to establish and develop a unique set of The research model of public policy.

They proposed at that time to expand the Central Policy Unit, and allocate at least three senior and young researchers in accordance with the policy areas of the "Three Departments and 13 Bureaus", and increase the annual budget from 119 million yuan to 300 million yuan. "Policy research, consultation, advocacy, formulation, overall planning and coordination".

Unexpectedly, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor reorganized the "Central Policy Unit" into the "Policy Innovation and Coordination Office" in the first "Policy Address" released the following month. Instead of hiring external experts and scholars, the main members have followed the civil service system. Government officials.

Zhou Wengang hopes that the authorities will re-establish a government policy research think tank based on the "Central Policy Group" and similar to the functions of the "Provincial Development and Reform Commission" in the Mainland, so as to enhance the effectiveness of governance.

For the list of candidates from all sectors in the Legislative Council election,