Hong Kong Professional Services in the Co-evolving Belt-Road Initiative : Innovative Agency for Sustainable Development

香港專業服務與一帶一路 : 推進可持續發展的創新能動性

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Author(s)

Detail(s)

Original languageEnglish
Place of PublicationHong Kong
PublisherPolicy Innovation and Co-ordination Office. The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China
Commissioning bodyCentral Policy Unit, HKSAR Government
Number of pages448
Publication statusOnline published - 2020

Abstract

There is high expectation for Hong Kong professional services to contribute to the Belt-Road Initiative (BRI), especially from the governments of Hong Kong and mainland China, and also from overseas stakeholders in the Belt and Road (B&R) destinations. The expectation lies in the excellent professional strengths of the Hong Kong professional services and their alignment to international standards, the significant impact of which has been demonstrated in their instrumental role in the transformative development of the Chinese economy. The expansive scope of the initiative has posed challenges to effective communication and policy execution, however, as BRI has been described as a ‘highly imaginative venture’. The Hong Kong professionals have also found it difficult to match official enthusiasm, so that actual participation in BRI projects has been uneven and relatively low. This study starts with an objective to understand the divergence in expectations and assessments, and contemplates how the gap may be narrowed. The central research question is: What role can Hong Kong professional services play in the BRI, in the interest of the sustainable development of the BRI as well as Hong Kong?

We adopt a mixed methodology premising an action research approach to find an answer. We identified and engaged with the main, but diverse, stakeholder groups in interviews, surveys and field observations in Hong Kong, Mainland, and selected B&R destinations. We organized and attended seminars, training workshops and conferences. We spoke in great lengths with government officials, business leaders, accountants, lawyers, investors, bankers, and policy analysts and academics. Understanding the dynamic agency of various stakeholders has contributed to a better understanding of their decisions and enabled us to formulate proposals which are reflected in the policy papers and other research publications, and summarized in the policy recommendations in this Final Report. In total, we have held 435 in-depth interview meetings, have organized or attended 86 major research dissemination and engagement activities and produced 45 major publications, including 9 policy papers, 12 journal articles, 9 book chapters, and a book volume within the 3-year period of the study. The Sustainable Hong Kong Research Hub of the Research Centre for Sustainable Hong Kong at City University of Hong Kong has developed a broad-based network of over 2,200 members to facilitate synergistic communications and foster understanding and collaborations, using social media as well as traditional means.
人們對香港專業服務在一帶一路建設中的貢獻有很高期望,特別是香港和內地政府,以及一帶一路地區的海外持分者。他們的期望是建基於香港專業服務具備卓越專業實力,並與國際標準接軌,其重要影響已在中國經濟轉型發展中發揮過重要作用。然而,由於一帶一路倡議涵蓋面極廣,更被部分評論形容為是一場「極具想像力的冒險」,因而給有效溝通和政策執行帶來了挑戰。香港專業人士很難與官方的熱情相提並論,不同專業人士之間實際參與一帶一路項目的情況參差不齊,而且整體來說相對較低。這項研究的目的,是了解和評估這種預期與實際的差距,並思考如何縮小差距。研究的核心問題是,香港專業服務可以在一帶一路中扮演什麼角色,從而有利於一帶一路以及香港的可持續發展。我們採用混合的方法,配合行動研究來尋找答案。我們在香港、中國大陸和選定的一帶一路目的地採訪、調查和實地考察,確定了主要但又不同的持分者,並與他們接觸。我們組織和參加了研討會、培訓班和會議,與政府官員、商界領袖、會計師、律師、投資者、銀行家、政策分析師和學者有多輪深入的交談。了解不同持分者,有助於我們更好地剖析他們作出決定背後的動因,使我們能夠透過政策建議書及其他研究出版物來寫出我們的看法,並在本報告中總結出一系列建議。在 3 年研究時間裡,我們共有 435 次深度訪談,組織或參加了 86 次重要的對談及發佈活動,有 45 份主要出版物,包括 9 份政策建議書,12 篇學術期刊文章,9 篇書本章節,以及一本專著。香港城市大學香港持續發展研究中心,利用社交媒體和傳統方式,建立了一個基礎廣泛的網絡,由超過 2200 名成員組成,以促進協同溝通、理解和合作。

Citation Format(s)

Hong Kong Professional Services in the Co-evolving Belt-Road Initiative: Innovative Agency for Sustainable Development. / Li, Linda Chelan; Mo, Phyllis; Lin, Feng et al.
Hong Kong: Policy Innovation and Co-ordination Office. The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, 2020. 448 p.

Research output: Scholarly Books, Monographs, Reports and Case StudiesOther research reportpeer-review