A comparison of occupational values between capitalist Hong Kong and socialist Guangzhou

Hong Kong has become a part of China's territory as a Special Administrative Region on July 1, 1997. But China's political and economic influence had been felt since the Sino-British negotiations began. With a new business partner, Hong Kong's economy has quickly shifted away from low-skill industries, and much of its manufacturing production has moved to China's special economic zones. Politically, Hong Kong's democratic movement, in reaction to the 1997 transition, has made politics an important dimension there, causing even previously highly individualist, business-minded people to become conscious of the political process. To integrate a typically capitalist city into a once-radical socialist country is indeed an unprecedented experiment. The prospect of the social and economic integration of Hong Kong and China, particularly in the Pearl River Delta, is currently a pressing concern and is of great importance to the region. Much of the attention, however, has been focused on the economic links between Hong Kong and the delta region. Social issues have been largely neglected. Using Guangzhou as an example of economic reform in the delta region, we explore the similarities and differences in value orientation between Hong Kong and Guangzhou in order to provide stimuli for thinking about the social implications of the growing economic ties between the two cities.