The SAR Government announced the "Northern Metropolitan Area Development Strategy" (hereinafter referred to as the "Development Strategy") in October 2021, proposing the development of the "Northern Metropolitan Area" involving one-third of Hong Kong's land.
The political and business circles have made positive comments on this, and believe that the Hong Kong government has finally taken an "advanced" step.
The two major issues of "Hong Kong-Shenzhen integration" and "development of the New Territories North" have actually been discussed as early as the 1980s. Scholars from both Hong Kong and Shenzhen have put forward many feasible proposals. Same thing."
Hong Kong's indecision in this regard has caused too many losses. The new government headed by Li Jiachao should formulate a specific timetable and detailed measures as soon as possible to bring Hong Kong to a new stage of development.
Written by: Huang Yunna, Hao Ziyu, Yang Yingwei
(Editor's note: On the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland, "Hong Kong 01", which has always advocated "active one country, two systems", is hereby issued a commemorative special issue "A New Journey with the Times", which includes seven in-depth reports from the past, documenting the key to Hong Kong's social transformation. Thinking. This is the second one, integrated from the 229th, 282nd, 286th issue of "Hong Kong 01" weekly.)
In the last policy address of Carrie Lam's tenure, he declared the comprehensive development of the northern metropolitan area, and Xintian Science and Technology City was the top priority.
1. The construction of the North is all about "paying off debts"
Zhang Keke, a former deputy director of the Shenzhen Municipal Bureau of Science and Technology, an expert in the Bay Area Group of the Pilot Demonstration Zone of the Shenzhen Decision Advisory Committee and a consultant to the Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Macao Science and Technology Alliance, said: "The development of the New Territories is not a 'today' problem, but a problem left over from history. It's a question of repaying debts, a question of repaying one's vows, and a question of how the people of the New Territories can keep up with social development and common prosperity."
Zhang Keke's remarks were not fabricated out of thin air.
According to his recollection, the story of the cooperation between Hong Kong and Shenzhen in the development of the New Territories North began in 1985. The two places decided to build the Huanggang Port. At the same time, they also planned the management of the Shenzhen River and the construction of the Meisha Port. Later, they invited Tsinghua University and Peking University. Experts came to plan and design the development of the Hong Kong-Shenzhen border, "but then it was not able to go down, because it is a major cross-border infrastructure construction, and the Shenzhen River also involves the adjustment of the border, so it was put on hold."
Zhang Keke knows the development history of New Territories North like the back of the hand.
In 1991, the central government re-emphasized the issues of Shenzhen River governance and border development. Zhang Keke was transferred to the Shenzhen Political Consultative Conference (hereinafter referred to as the Shenzhen Political Consultative Conference) as the director. Twelve members of the CPPCC were from Hong Kong, among them "The King of the Emperor Bus". ", Wen Huotai, former chairman of the Xintian Rural Committee.
At the invitation of Wen Huotai, Zhang Keke carried out research on Shenzhen-Hong Kong border cooperation planning, and set up a research project on three themes of cross-border transportation, Hong Kong-Shenzhen Science and Technology Building and port joint inspection.
In the following years, Zhang Keke led the team to meet with leaders of the Shenzhen Municipal Government, the Port Office, the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Region Office of the State Council and even the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for many times to demonstrate the possibility of development. In 1992, he first proposed combining the Futian Free Trade Zone and Hetao area Based on the geographical advantages, the "Shenzhen-Hong Kong Cross-Border Technology Park" was established.
Around the "cross-border science and technology park", the research team later made an overall plan, including the current Hetao, Shenzhen Bay and Xintian, and drew a blueprint of "7.9 square kilometers", "We all feel that this matter We can do it after Hong Kong returns.”
Later, Wen Huotai established the "Shenzhen Special Economic Zone to Promote Shenzhen-Hong Kong Economic Development Foundation" to continue to support the research on the cooperation between Hong Kong and Shenzhen to develop the New Territories North.
Zhang Keke has also successively participated in the "Cooperation along the Economic Belt on Both Sides of the River", "One Square Kilometer Loop", "Opening Wutong Mountain to Shenzhen Bay Dapeng Bay", "Co-location Inspection", "Cross-Border Shuttle Bus", "Shenzhen Bay" Hong Kong Cross-Border Work Visa” and other research reports.
However, the optimistic idea of Zhang Keke and others - "Hong Kong can be done after the return of Hong Kong", after the real return of Hong Kong in 1997, encountered political resistance. In the face of Shenzhen's efforts, the SAR government rejected it with "divisional thinking".
Since then, the development of the New Territories North has hit the "pause button" and has been stagnant for nearly 30 years.
In 2008, the Shenzhen Municipal Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference put forward a development concept plan of "one river and two banks" around the development of Hong Kong's New Territories North, in line with the "Hong Kong-Shenzhen Metropolis" policy, of which District E is the Loop.
(provided by respondents)
"(Hong Kong), represented by Anson Chan (then Chief Secretary for Administration), raised objections, arguing that the land was demarcated in accordance with international law, so after July 1 (1997), the Hetao is Hong Kong's land, and Shenzhen cannot come here to talk about development problem." Zhang Keke sighed helplessly.
Until 2006, Hong Kong-Shenzhen research institutes started to launch the "Hong Kong-Shenzhen Cooperation Forum", and took "Hong Kong-Shenzhen International Metropolis" as a strategic concept to discuss the integration and synergy between cities.
Wen Huotai invited Zhang Keke to lead the research team to improve the proposal together. In 2008, he published the article "New Thinking on the Cooperation and Development of "One River and Two Banks" between Hong Kong and Shenzhen" (hereinafter referred to as "One River and Two Banks") in the forum of public consultation by the government in 2008. , planning the area east of the Loop from the perspective of Hong Kong-Shenzhen cooperation, and clearly outlines the map (above), which officially indicates the direction for the development of the New Territories North.
However, after that, the subprime crisis in the United States broke out and caused the global financial tsunami. Hong Kong concentrated its efforts to deal with it. After the recovery, it benefited from the boom in real estate and finance created by the influx of hot money. The issue of the integration of Hong Kong and Shenzhen was once again forgotten. .
If you compare "One River and Two Banks" with "Development Strategy", it is not difficult to find that the "two cities and three circles" mentioned by the latter are "Hong Kong-Shenzhen Close Interaction Circle", "Shenzhen Bay High-quality Development Circle" and "Dapeng Bay" The function of the “Yinzhoutang Ecological Recreation and Tourism Circle” (pictured below) is actually in line with the plan of “One River, Two Banks”.
On the one hand, the SAR government has indeed finally taken a historic step towards the integration of Hong Kong and Shenzhen; on the other hand, this historic step has been delayed by 13 years, and it should have been taken 13 years ago. The pace is not far behind.
The lag in the development of the Loop is a microcosm of the slow development of the New Territories North and even the slow integration of Hong Kong and Shenzhen.
At the end of 2021, the Hetao area has finally been leveled and the infrastructure project of the first phase of the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park can be carried out. At this time, the concept of "Shenzhen-Hong Kong Cross-border Technology Park" proposed by Zhang Keke and others in 1992 has passed. Nearly thirty years.
Similarly, it has taken 30 years from the "Northeast New Territories Development Plan" proposed in the 1990s to the "Development Strategy" that has been assembled today.
"This time, the northern metropolitan area is not just a sentence, but a picture, and it was proposed by Hong Kong." Although he has worked hard for Shenzhen-Hong Kong cooperation for many years and encountered many obstacles, Zhang Keke still spoke highly of the "Development Strategy", "I think this will be a once-in-500-year opportunity for Hong Kong."
After a long time to come out, "Development Strategy" is certainly worthy of recognition, but this is just the beginning.
After the applause, there are many specific measures that need to be refined and deepened.
In the "Northern Metropolitan Area Development Strategy", the concept of "two cities and three circles" proposed by the SAR government is in line with the concept of "one river and two banks".
(Source: "Northern Metropolitan Region Development Strategy")
2. Learning planning thinking from Shenzhen
What changes can or should the construction of the northern metropolitan area bring to Xiang?
How will it promote the economic integration of Hong Kong and Shenzhen, which are separated by a strip of water?
To answer these questions, it is necessary for Hong Kong to reacquaint Shenzhen, a neighbor that is both familiar and unfamiliar.
In recent years, with the implementation of large-scale projects such as the renovation of Huanggang, 5G full coverage, and the inter-city express rail in the Bay Area, Shenzhen is undergoing industrial restructuring and making great strides in a new direction, while Hong Kong needs to do its own planning. To explore new opportunities, it is inevitable to understand the major trends of Shenzhen's reform.
Urban planning is the lifeblood of a city's development. What kind of personality the city has, what kind of planning will be formed, and what kind of development will be derived.
Hong Kong and Shenzhen, separated by a border, are like two children with completely different personalities and destinies. Shenzhen has an experimental spirit in its blood. Look back, keep going smoothly, and keep on exploring; Hong Kong seems to be born with good luck. Although it does not contain a golden spoon, it can always turn danger into danger in a crisis, and it does not need to work hard to maintain a glorious place. .
However, when the original development model became more and more saturated, and both places had to reorganize urban planning and promote economic transformation, Hong Kong, which was still trying to "remain unchanged and adapt to changes", was clearly caught in a development dilemma, and adopted "rolling planning". Shenzhen, which is adaptable to the two principles of "moderately advanced", has successfully upgraded.
"Hong Kong is very different from Shenzhen. It does not follow up the planning according to the needs of the city. Shenzhen was born to explore and experiment. This is its DNA. Its growth is a process of experimentation. Plan how to go first, which is wrong. Just change the direction, go right and continue. Of course, it won't keep going like this, because it will ask yourself to move forward. The city (planning) should be a huge test pool, how to make everyone live well in the test A better future is an eternal topic.” Wu Meiqin, a professor of the Department of Geography and Resource Management at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, lived in the north for several months in 2018 in order to study the spatial planning of Shenzhen. Since then, she could not help but mention local development. Admired, as a city in the 21st century, Shenzhen has done much better than Hong Kong.
What kind of "good" method?
In the late 1970s, Shenzhen was a small fishing village in Bao'an County, which was still unknown. The average annual income of farmers was only 134 yuan. Every day, about 20,000 people smuggled into Hong Kong, where the average annual income of farmers reached 12,000 Hong Kong dollars. In 40 years, she has become a metropolis with a gross domestic product (GDP) exceeding that of Hong Kong, and is even regarded as a "city of the future".
The reason why Shenzhen is "good" is the natural advantage of being "adjacent to Hong Kong" and the "natural genes" that dare to fight. In 1979, Bao'an County was upgraded to Shenzhen City, and in line with the reform and opening up policy, a special economic zone was set up in the following year. When Deng Xiaoping, the leader of the Communist Party of China at the time, sent a message to Shenzhen to "break a bloody road", Gu Mu, the then Vice Premier of the State Council, said that "there must be the spirit of Monkey King making a havoc in the heavenly palace."
As a result, the two social systems and economic systems had an intuitive confrontation in the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone, and unexpected surprises broke out as a result.
However, even if it is "adjacent to Hong Kong" and "dare to fight", without a timely update and a set of urban planning that suits the situation, Shenzhen will not be able to succeed.
Wang Fuhai, former president of Shenzhen Urban Planning and Design Institute, once explained that the development of Shenzhen does not rely on a perfect blueprint, but on the principle of "rolling planning", and urban planning is carried out every five years-because the five-year cycle can To ensure that urban demand is "moderately advanced", but not "overly advanced".
Wu Meiqin also pointed out: "In the early days of Shenzhen, I didn't know how to go, so I learned from Hong Kong and went out to see different places. It's a bit like Singapore. After Singapore's independence, it will go to other cities to learn different things. , to learn from.”
Wu Meiqin believes that Shenzhen is much better than Hong Kong in urban planning.
(File photo/Photo by Zhang Haowei)
In 1984, although Shenzhen was planned as a "world-class advanced city", in fact, due to the top-down planned economy in the past, it was indeed difficult for Shenzhen to adapt to the market economy and independent development for a while.
When there was nothing to do, Shenzhen leaders went to Singapore, Hong Kong and other places to learn from the development experience of the "Asian Tigers", such as reserving a large area of green land and planning the above-ground light rail in advance.
After 2000, in the face of the transformation goal of a high-tech city, Shenzhen went abroad again, learned the spirit of Silicon Valley in the United States, and integrated the ecological environment, the integration of production, education and research, and the friendly atmosphere of entrepreneurship into urban planning, which has attracted a large number of young people. A stage for innovation, entrepreneurship, and great performance.
On the other hand, in Hong Kong, the market still relies on the financial services industry and the real estate industry, and other industries have hardly made any progress and have failed to show their innovative power.
If you don't know how to work your way around, you will be faced with a situation of "sit and eat".
Why is Hong Kong always "lag behind"?
The key to this is probably not being able to distinguish what is the "real problem" of urban development.
In the article "Urban Planning: From the Ultimate Blueprint to Dynamic Planning - Dynamic Planning Practice and Theory", Wang Fuhai pointed out that there are three types of problems that need to be found in cognition of the city: First, the development patterns of different stages are accompanied by "Non-problems"; second, "pseudo-issues" that undermine the order of life and confuse black and white by focusing too much on material order; third, "true issues" arising from improper subjective handling.
Wang Fuhai said that the plan should be aimed at "real problems", first find the crux of the problem, and then prescribe the right medicine.
Taking Shenzhen as an example, in the process of progress, it has also encountered the big problem of "serial syndrome", such as the style of landscape avenues, the luxury of public spaces, the uniformity of tidy streets, the eradication of old renovations, and the high-end public buildings. face, the scale of large-scale investment promotion, etc., but Wang Fuhai believes that it is normal for deviations in "planning" and "implementation", because the reality is often more complicated, the key is to face "deviations", dare to act in the "deviation" Acting with a “planning conscience”, engaging with vested interests, and correcting problems in a timely manner, you can move forward without fear.
Unlike Hong Kong, which looks ahead and is too lazy to change, the city will inevitably stagnate.
In the process of continuous optimization of urban planning and layout, Shenzhen has formed a characteristic "three-axis, two-belt and multi-center" group structure, which not only effectively relieves the traffic congestion in the area where a single center is located, but also greatly reduces the working distance, which helps to improve the quality of life , and even coordinate industrial development.
Under the clear industrial policy, Shenzhen has 18 districts located on the "three axes and two belts", where traditional strong industries and innovative technology industries are parallel.
On the other hand, Hong Kong has been entangled in the planning of a "single center" for many years, and has always only relied on "Central" as the business core. This not only "locks up" Hong Kong's industrial transformation, but also ignores the commuting pressure of the working class and the huge burden on the transportation system. .
Land issues are also a key factor that cities need to face.
The "Shenzhen 2035 Urban Master Plan - Research Project on Overall Urban Design and Characteristic Landscape Protection Strategies" commissioned by the Shenzhen Municipal Planning and Land and Resources Commission and completed by the Shenzhen Urban Planning and Design Institute shows a picture of the "Super Bay Area Metropolis" developed along the east bank of the Pearl River. "Landscape map: Hong Kong's metropolitan area will extend from Tsuen Wan to Tuen Mun and Yuen Long, and connect to Futian through the northwest New Territories including the Loop.
Although Hong Kong also responded to this design when planning the Hung Shui Bridge, and deployed the innovation and technology industry in a targeted manner, however, the Hong Kong government failed to make targeted deployments for the multi-center and the most significant land problem in Hong Kong.
Comparing Shenzhen and Hong Kong is not to praise Shenzhen blindly, but to hope that Hong Kong can take Shenzhen's development plan as a mirror, see its own problems, and learn from the "Shenzhen attitude" to solve them with drastic measures.
The slogan "Time is money, efficiency is life" is displayed in the Shenzhen Reform and Opening-up Exhibition Hall, reflecting the development attitude of Shenzhen over the years.
(Visual China)
3. Facing the blind spots of Hong Kong-style development thinking
One month before the SAR government announced the "Development Strategy", the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China successively issued the "Overall Plan for the Construction of Hengqin Guangdong-Macao Deep Cooperation Zone" ("Hengqin Plan") and "Comprehensive Deepening of the Reform and Opening-up of Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone". The "Qianhai Plan" (the "Qianhai Plan") two major documents, the Hong Kong government welcomed the latter at the first time, but after the "welcome", it seems that the Hong Kong people cannot fully feel the great prospects.
How should Hong Kong reflect on the past deficiencies in cross-border cooperation and even the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and how should it rebuild and restructure its own economic structure, so that Hong Kong can take the opportunity of "Hong Kong-Shenzhen economic integration" to a new level of development?
Regarding the two consecutive heavyweight documents published by the central government involving the two special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau, I believe that the most direct impression of many people after reading it is that "Hengqin" may become another "Macau", but "Qianhai" does not It will not become another "Hong Kong", but directly enter the "test field" of "One Country, Two Systems" in the Mainland.
Because the "Hengqin Plan" proposes a new system of "co-consultation, co-construction, co-management and sharing" between the governments of Guangdong and Macao, in which the Macau government is slightly dominant, while the "Qianhai Plan" requires the Qianhai authorities to promote cooperation with the "One Country, Two Systems" framework. Hong Kong, Macao and international rules and mechanisms are connected, and Hong Kong can only passively cooperate to a large extent.
It is undeniable that these two governance models have indeed enriched the connotation of the cross-border coordinated development model. It also means that the "one country, two systems" that was only implemented in Hong Kong and Macau in the past has begun to evolve into "two systems, one system" that can be tested in mainland cities. Not led by the most experienced Hong Kong.
If you ask what the reason is, then Hong Kong has to be questioned about the concept of reform and awareness of development.
The "Hengqin Plan" and the "Qianhai Plan" are undoubtedly the two most critical chapters since the "Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development Plan" was announced in mid-February 2019.
After the introduction of the plan, the mainland and Macau public opinion generally regarded it as a new practice of "one country, two systems", because they have enriched the connotation of "one country, two systems" at different levels.
For example, the "Hengqin Plan" not only states that it is necessary to "create conditions for the diversified development of Macao's industries", it will also focus on "promoting in-depth cooperation between Guangdong and Macao" and focusing on "building the integration of Qin and Macao", so as to inject new momentum into the "one country, two systems" practice. "; "Qianhai Plan", while "supporting the economic and social development of Hong Kong", is committed to "enriching the coordinated development model of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau" and "building the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area to comprehensively deepen the reform through the connection of rules and mechanisms with Hong Kong and Macau". Innovation test platform", so as to "build a high-level opening to the outside world as a gateway hub and competitive advantage".
Moreover, the "governance model" proposed by the two sets of plans is obviously different from other special development areas in the Mainland, which undoubtedly brings more "out-of-the-box" imagination to the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity of the "one country, two systems".
For example, the "Cooperation Zone Management Committee", the highest administrative organ of the "Hengqin Plan", will implement an unprecedented "dual-director system". Guangdong and Macao have negotiated to determine other deputy directors - it can be seen that the Macao government is slightly dominant; the "Qianhai Plan" is to continue to "promote the innovation of the system and mechanism in which the statutory body carries some of the government's regional governance functions, and optimize the legal person governance structure and functions of the statutory body. Set up and manage the model”, and the Qianhai Cooperation Zone itself “performs the main responsibility, strengthens overall planning and coordination, emancipates the mind, explores boldly, and shoulders heavy responsibilities”—it can be seen that the Qianhai experiment has unlimited space.
Therefore, the most direct perception of many people is that "Hengqin" may become another "Macau", but "Qianhai" will not become another "Hong Kong", but will directly enter the mainland "experimental field" of "One Country, Two Systems" ".
The "Qianhai Plan" refers to its great significance in enhancing the centripetal force of Hong Kong compatriots towards the motherland.
(file picture)
"In the past, we have always said that 'one country, two systems' is in Hong Kong and Macau, but now it has entered a relatively advanced stage, that is, 'two systems in one', two completely different systems are combined for testing. If successful, it will further enhance the 'one country, two systems' , to help the integration of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.” Sheng Li, Deputy Dean (Academic) of the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Macau, mentioned in an interview with the mainland media that the “Hengqin Plan” gives Guangdong and Macao great policy autonomy and joint decision-making power. , will greatly enhance the resource mobilization ability and policy coordination ability of the cooperation zone. I believe that it can solve various contradictions in the past Guangdong-Macao or Zhuhai-Macao cooperation process, such as who builds for, who builds, who benefits, etc. break-in problem.
Tian Feilong, director of the National Association for Hong Kong and Macao Studies and associate professor at the School of Law of Beihang University, also believes that the "Hengqin Plan" heralds a new direction of institutional exploration for the integrated development of "one country, two systems", and it is for Guangdong and Macao to move forward with each other, which is expected to "in the Based on the governance model of the in-depth cooperation zone between one country and two systems, we will innovate a set of experiences and a set of methods.” And if this “Hengqin governance model” works and succeeds, I believe it can be ahead in the future. Take some reference and copy in the development of the sea.
However, rather than borrowing or replicating other successful paths, the ambitious Shenzhen enjoys being a "pioneer" for deepening reforms and innovation experiments.
As pointed out by Zhang Yan, head of the Strategy Office of the Regional Development Strategy Center of the National Development and Reform Commission, the "Qianhai Plan" will provide a new engine for the construction of Shenzhen as a "pioneering demonstration area of socialism with Chinese characteristics", and provide a new engine for the country's comprehensive deepening of reform and opening up. Therefore, “reform and innovation are the fundamental driving forces. Focusing on key areas such as innovation and development of modern service industry, innovation of technological development systems and mechanisms, business environment construction, and innovation of governance models in the cooperation zone, the plan endows the Qianhai Cooperation Zone with more and greater reforms. Innovate pilot tasks to promote its continuous use of the advantages of reform and opening up and strengthen its demonstration and leading role.”
In fact, before and after the celebration meeting of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the special economic zone was held in Shenzhen in mid-October 2020, whether it was the "Shenzhen Construction of a Pilot Demonstration Zone for Socialism with Chinese Characteristics Comprehensive Reform Pilot Implementation Plan (2020-2025)" issued by the central government, or the national The important speech delivered by President Xi Jinping's trip to Shenzhen fully affirmed Shenzhen's past achievements in implementing "reform and opening up" and its role in promoting "one country, two systems", and gave Shenzhen more powers and responsibilities in this regard, such as requiring the local area to improve market allocation and innovate environmental mechanisms , including deepening the land management system, strengthening the high-end talent introduction system, etc., and strive to promote Shenzhen to become a model of socialist modernization, and even hope that Shenzhen will actively promote economic integration with Hong Kong and jointly become the core engine of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Create a new model of "one country, two systems".
With such a major mission, Shenzhen will naturally not neglect, and the "Qianhai Plan" can be said to be the "pilot plan" in the above-mentioned "Pilot Plan".
However, in the public opinion field in Hong Kong, not many people at that time understood the relationship between Shenzhen and "One Country, Two Systems". After the introduction of the "Hengqin Plan" and the "Qianhai Plan", not many people would raise them to the level of "One Country, Two Systems". The advanced practical level of "One Country, Two Systems".
How the SAR government understands the deep economic integration relationship with Shenzhen will affect the development of Hong Kong itself.
(Information Services Department)
The Bauhinia Research Center published a research report "Building a Hong Kong-Shenzhen Metropolis" in 2007, mentioning that long before the handover, experts from Guangzhou, Hong Kong and Shenzhen have been enthusiastically discussing that the future "Hong Kong-Shenzhen economy" relationship should be "cooperation", "connection". ' or 'fusion'.
The report believes that the level of "cooperation" is low, requiring only production resources to cooperate with each other, but the expression is the most "politically correct", and relatively speaking, it will not touch the sensitive nerves of Hong Kong people against the mainland; "connection" belongs to the middle level, referring to the economic operation. The mutual coordination of mechanisms includes infrastructure, management systems and legal support. The highest level of "integration" means economic integration. It requires the development process of the two places to be relatively integrated, in order to further promote the unimpeded flow of people, logistics and information.
However, the report was ultimately not taken seriously by the Hong Kong government, and the so-called "Hong Kong-Shenzhen relations" were not promoted.
If there is still a certain degree of development gap between Hong Kong and Shenzhen in 2007, and it is really difficult to cooperate deeply, then when Shenzhen's GDP has surpassed Hong Kong's and the development momentum is strong, what reason does Hong Kong have to refuse to achieve "economic integration" with Shenzhen? ?
Whether it is to expand the market, open up development space, reform and innovate the system, and exert synergy effects, the integration of Hong Kong and Shenzhen is the general trend. In order to promote the flow of production factors, strengthen industrial competition and cooperation, simplify customs clearance procedures or even cancel the Hong Kong-Shenzhen border and build an intercity express rail. Direct connections between the two cities and even other cities in the Greater Bay Area, the integration of airports in Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Zhuhai and Macau led by the Hong Kong Airport to unify the division of labor in the market, and the interconnection of network data are all inevitable development directions, and they are also the common development directions of Hong Kong and Shenzhen. To become the foundation of the "core engine" of the Greater Bay Area is the key to sustainable development to continue the "one country, two systems" principle.
Many people will be wondering, "One country, two systems" has always been regarded as a matter of Hong Kong and Macau. What does it have to do with Shenzhen, and why should Shenzhen be relied on for "comprehensive and accurate implementation" and "new practices that enrich business development"?
In fact, this kind of static thinking cannot deeply understand the vitality and creativity of "one country, two systems", so a more meaningful understanding should be that under "one country, two systems", the mainland, Hong Kong and Macau jointly own and practice China to varying degrees. Socialism with characteristics and capitalism with characteristics of the special zone, and are constantly revised and updated in the process of development - that is to say, no matter the mainland or Hong Kong and Macao, the two systems should be practiced at the same time, of course, the degree is different. In theory, the integration of Hong Kong and Shenzhen is the best epitome of "one country, two systems", with long-term advantages of dialectical complementarity, and the ultimate development direction is neither the "Hong Kong-Hong Kong" that was taken for granted in the past, nor the reverse "Hong Kong-Mainlandization", but Hong Kong. An interactive integration to face new reform tasks and globalization challenges together with the mainland.
"Hong Kong is facing a very strong partner with strong innovation ability and international development ability - Shenzhen. Therefore, when the two giants cooperate, Hong Kong should consider how to make a bigger cake, rather than bringing A arrogant or overlooked mentality.” Tian Feilong believes that the Qianhai Plan is indeed a challenge for Hong Kong, but Hong Kong also needs to get used to participating in the innovation and development of Qianhai with a more equal, cooperative and respectful attitude towards the mainland. .
He also believes that under a competitive landscape of high-level reform and opening up, as long as every city in the Greater Bay Area can unload its burdens and start anew, Hong Kong and Macao can develop their thinking, governance philosophy, and industrial strategic vision. Keeping up with the national rhythm will surely increase the overall competitiveness of the country while promoting local transformation and development.
Take a new journey with the times.
1 | Correct yourself to face the new global order and embark on a new journey with the times.
2｜Reshape the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Competitive Qualification Bureau to jointly build the strongest "Northern Metropolis"