Editorial | Wake-up call for city as Xi Jinping sets new tasks for future of Shenzhen
- After designating Hong Kong’s neighbour as an ‘important engine’ for the Greater Bay Area, China’s president has made it clear that the special administrative region still has an important role to play
Xi laid out China’s challenges and put forward a solution – Shenzhen’s innovations. The late paramount leader Deng Xiaoping named it among the first four special economic zones established in 1980 and its officials were given unprecedented freedoms to chart its course. Their achievement in just four decades is remarkable, the city having evolved from a poor fishing village to a moderately prosperous society that has become a shining example for others to follow. In doing so, it has taken over the role Hong Kong used to have as a model for mainland development.
The key to Shenzhen’s success has been the government’s creation of an environment that can quickly turn ideas into solutions, products and services. Innovation and technology have been at the core and Xi has unsurprisingly made those among six tasks for the city in coming years. Officials will also be expected to deepen reform, expand the scope of opening up, implement a people-oriented approach to development and proactively advance the GBA plan. Broadly, the same “to do” list should be adopted by Hong Kong, Macau and other Chinese cities.
Given the challenges Hong Kong, the mainland and the world face, no government can afford to work in isolation. The president called for a comprehensive and accurate implementation of the “one country, two systems” model of government and promotion of integrated development. Shenzhen’s past achievements stand it in good stead to further innovate and it can use its experience and expertise to move forward. Hong Kong has an important role to play. What Shenzhen can achieve can help guide China to its next stage of development.