'As our counterparts in Guangdong and Shenzhen heatedly debate what lies ahead for them, we have everything to lose if we just stay put. To surrender our autonomy to mainland planners is of course not acceptable; yet, to do nothing and not be involved in the planning process would be no better than leaving our city's future prospects in the hands of our neighbours.'
Anthony Cheung Bing-leung, Executive Councillor Insight page, March 23
It's a common sentiment and I'm sure many heads wagged in agreement. Hong Kong has obviously to do its economic planning together with the rest of the Pearl River Delta. By going it alone, we will just isolate ourselves and then we will go nowhere.
I still have my doubts.
As a general rule, economic planning is a necessary evil best kept to a minimum. Hong Kong's success was built not on economic plans but on economic accidents exploited by clever and adaptable entrepreneurs. I'm told we cannot afford to rely on this in the future. I wonder if we can afford not to.
The overindulgence in economic planning that we now have in its place rarely produces more than a single repeated idea - pour more concrete. I don't know what it is with economic planners that they can only think roads, bridges and tunnels, but it's a fact and they don't seem to bother much with whether there is real need.