Advertisement
Advertisement
Tammy Tam
SCMP Columnist
City Beat
by Tammy Tam
City Beat
by Tammy Tam

London and Beijing are looking to the future - Hong Kong must do the same

Xi's visit shows we must leave the colonial past behind to gain from 'golden era' of Sino-British ties

Much has been said about President Xi Jinping's state visit to Britain, which has been hailed by both governments as a sign that bilateral relations have entered a "golden era". But what does it mean for Hong Kong, the former British colony which officially is no longer a major factor in Sino-British ties?

Over the past week, as one who covered extensively the Sino-British talks - or, to be exact, quarrels - over Hong Kong's transition arrangements before 1997, I watched with amazement the extravagant reception Britain gave Xi. There was the royal welcoming ceremony, and the friendly remarks by the queen and Prime Minister David Cameron, but also one detail the press did not seem to pay much attention to - Britain was Xi's sole destination this time, a departure from the usual practice of grouping several neighbouring countries together in one itinerary. It was regarded as a goodwill gesture from China that Xi highly appreciates the current state of Sino-British relations.

READ MORE: Stronger ties between China and Britain will foster growth

What is being described as "the best" Sino-British relationship since Hong Kong's handover can be summed up in one word: pragmatism. China and Britain know what each other want: more investment from China and access to the huge Chinese market for the British; and an improved Sino-British relationship for Xi to better deal with world powers, especially the United States.

Among the major deals both sides reached, Merlin, Britain's global leader in the entertainment business and the world's second largest visitor attraction operator, signed a joint-venture agreement, witnessed by Xi and the duke and duchess of Cambridge, with China Media Capital, founded by Li Ruigang , known as China's Rupert Murdoch, to build a Legoland theme park in Shanghai. During Xi's visit to the US last month, CMC announced a partnership with Warner Bros on film production and distribution.

READ MORE: The buying of Britain: Chinese biotech, insurance and tourism firms line up to make British acquisitions

At a time when China is to further open up its cultural market, Hong Kong, a city with rich East-meets-West heritage and culture, can think about its role. It doesn't mean the city is suitable for all projects - the CMC-Warner Bros joint venture picked Hong Kong as its future headquarters, but the Lego theme park has nothing or very little to do with Hong Kong.

Britain has not escaped criticism for being too enthusiastic in cosying up to China. It is thus interesting to note both Xi and the queen mentioned Hong Kong during the royal banquet. Xi praised the "creative" ways both countries had adopted in handling Hong Kong's handover while the queen spoke highly of Deng Xiaoping's "one country, two systems" concept.

Some British media suggested the queen was sending a gentle reminder on the importance of maintaining "one country, two systems". Cameron told Xi during their meeting at Chequers that Britain hoped Hong Kong would be able to pick its leader without prior vetting by Beijing. That prompted an immediate warning by Beijing against Britain interfering in China's internal affairs. Cameron's remarks, which were only reported by , were seen by some Hong Kong pan-democrats as a mere gesture, and "better than nothing".

READ MORE: Soccer fan Xi Jinping rounds off UK state visit with selfie at home of Manchester City

This will be interpreted differently by different people, but agree or not, it could well be all Britain can do now. What's pragmatic for Hong Kong is to take advantage of its unique status as a special administrative region with strong British connections to play a new role as Sino-British relations start a new chapter.

It was reported by some mainland media that Chinese companies eager to invest in Britain are mainly attracted by its well-established legal system and mature financial markets. In this regard, Hong Kong is the only city in China which has inherited the British style of rule of law, as well as a sound financial regulatory system.

Forget about the colonial flag - waving it around might be a way to express social discontent for some, but the past is gone forever. It is more practical for Hongkongers to see the bigger picture and think of how to make better use of our unique and valuable assets.

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Leave past behind to gain from 'golden era' in Sino-UK ties
Post