The 30th anniversary of the establishment of Shenzhen as a special economic zone deserved broader coverage here in Hong Kong. The rise of the city next door has been amazing.
Hong Kong played a major part, with our industrialists being the first to go through the newly opened door. That led to the Pearl River Delta manufacturing powerhouse and the transformation of our own economy. Shenzhen is a symbol of reforms that have benefited millions across China and changed world trade and investment patterns.
However, Hong Kong focused on one six-minute part of the 30th birthday celebration, when President Hu Jintao shook hands in a private setting with Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing. Hu made some comments for the cameras about Li's role in Shenzhen's development and in continued co-operation and prosperity on the mainland and here - exactly the sort of polite remarks you would expect under the circumstances.
That should have been the end of it, but in some quarters of Hong Kong the reaction has been quite fierce. Well, let's forget talk about Li upstaging Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen. The celebration was about the rise of Shenzhen, and Hong Kong's political leaders would be the first to admit that this was not a party primarily for them.
It was members of our business community who were surprised by the way the nation's president made a point of honouring Li. Although many Hongkongers might see our most prominent businessmen as a small circle, the fact is that there are various rivalries and jealousies within the business community. People are busy looking for explanations for the handshake and the public praise.
Their instinct is to ask what message is being sent. Is it a coded way of asking Li to support the Hong Kong government? Or the other way round? Is it something to do with the anti-business 'backlash' that some see taking place here at the moment? They, and our media, assume of course that there is a message, and that it is all about Hong Kong.
