Forbes says reform in Beijing benefits world
A stable Beijing leadership dedicated to reform will not just benefit Hong Kong economically and politically, but the whole world, says Steve Forbes, president of Forbes magazine.
Mr Forbes was in Hong Kong yesterday to launch the three-day Forbes Global CEO Conference, which is being held in the city for the second time in three years.
On the sidelines of the conference, Mr Forbes said the world would rest easy as long as Beijing continued to pursue moderate reforms after President Hu Jintao assumed full power by becoming chairman of the Central Military Commission.
He said Hong Kong's prospects also hinged on whether there was a stable leadership in Beijing, although this was out of the city's hands. 'I don't know what is going to happen in Beijing, but I think, to be blunt and frank, sometimes what you experience from Beijing is less related to Hong Kong than to manoeuvring in Beijing between various factions,' said Mr Forbes, a former US presidential aspirant.
'I hope now there will be stability with the [full] transfer of power in Beijing and that we will continue to have modest reforms and there won't be more in-fighting because, with stability in Beijing, Hong Kong's prospects improve immeasurably.
'I think it is true if Beijing goes on a moderate course, the whole world will breathe a sigh of relief and there will be much more economic growth, stability and opportunities and freedoms.'
Asked whether Hong Kong was entitled to full democracy, Mr Forbes said the concept of 'one country, two systems' was a good approach and he hoped it could be maintained. 'I think the people of Hong Kong want a future where agreements are made and kept. And Hong Kong can continue to be a vibrant economic centre of Asia as well as China.'
The conference, entitled 'The Connected World', has attracted 350 top business and political leaders from around the world.
