ECONOMIC soothsayers see few signs of Hong Kong's two decades of expansion as a service economy abating - but they have warned of weaknesses it must address if it is to fulfil its regional potential.
The length and breadth of the expansion of services in Hong Kong have been central factors in the rapid growth of its economy in recent years.
The statistics are impressive: more than 83 per cent of Hong Kong's gross domestic product (GDP) is generated by services - up from 67.5 per cent in 1980 and 74.5 per cent in 1990.
Since 1983, the service economy has grown at 17 per cent per year - a rate which a recent study into the economy, The Hong Kong Advantage, described as 'far faster than that of any other economy in the world'.
The World Economic Forum in 1995 rated Hong Kong as the second most highly developed service sector in the world, second only to the United States.
Much of this rise has been based on Hong Kong's reputation as a financial centre which has grown significantly in recent years.
But the question on everyone's lips is whether this service industry explosion can continue.
