Hong Kong protests threaten China’s plan to turn Shenzhen into model city, says ex-vice minister
- Long Yongtu, China’s former chief trade negotiator, says ‘if there is a problem in Hong Kong, Shenzhen will inevitably be dragged down’
- Anti-government protests have taken place in Hong Kong for the last 12 weeks, raising questions whether its place in the Greater Bay Area plan will be decreased
Plans to make Shenzhen the model city for China and the world will only succeed alongside a successful and stable Hong Kong, and not at the expense of the special administration region, according to China’s former chief trade negotiator.
“Many people thought [Beijing’s plan for Shenzhen] was aimed at some of the current situations in Hong Kong. They thought that the proposal of the model city seemed to replace Hong Kong as an innovation centre or financial centre,” said Long Yongtu, a former vice-minister with China’s foreign trade ministry who headed the talks that led to China’s entry to the World Trade Organisation. “I think this is a complete misinterpretation and misunderstanding.
“[Some people thought that] because there are some problems in Hong Kong today, then Shenzhen must seize the opportunity. This idea is extremely wrong. Only when Hong Kong is doing well, will Shenzhen do better. If there is a problem in Hong Kong, Shenzhen will inevitably be dragged down.”
According to Long, Shenzhen’s unique advantage is its proximity to Hong Kong and, given this, the two cities’ futures are already integrated, he said.