City Beat | Hong Kong can find its place on 'One Belt, One Road'
… but financial chief's surprise at question on national initiative shows there is work to do
What does it take to surprise Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah at a forum on his budget? Not a protest, nor an offensive comment. In fact what it took was a question from the floor about Beijing's ambitious "One Belt, One Road" initiative.
Tsang recently revealed on his blog how a female student from the University of Hong Kong asked him what opportunities could be derived from the "One Belt, One Road" project. How could young people in Hong Kong get a chance to work for international financial institutions such as the new Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)?
President Xi Jinping first raised the idea of the Silk Road Economic Belt about two years ago. It will involve major infrastructure projects like railways, roads, pipelines and power grids, for which the China-led AIIB will provide financing. Described by some Western media as "China's Marshall Plan", the initiative has attracted global attention recently as the United States expressed opposition to Britain and other European countries after they showed an interest in joining the AIIB.
It's thus worth reflecting on why Tsang said he was "surprised" by the question. Was it that he didn't expect such a question to come up at a forum on the budget? Or did he not expect a student in Hong Kong to care about the subject?
Either way, it could show that Tsang or the government understand that, at least at this stage, Hongkongers lack enthusiasm for, or a comprehensive understanding of, the nation's strategic development plan. But why?
For the business sector, the potential risk of an investment is the first thing to consider. Thus Tsang will soon lead a delegation of business heavyweights to tour countries covered by the "One Belt, One Road" initiative and gather first-hand information.
But what about the general public? Recent comments by Professor Lau Siu-kai, vice-president of Beijing's semi-official think tank the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macau Studies, may offer a clue.