Positioning Hong Kong as a World City

1
Positioning Hong Kong as a World City

• Peter Hills and Mee Kam Ng
• Centre of Urban Planning Environmental
  Management,
• The University of Hong Kong
• Eco-Tourism Business Opportunities Conference
• Hong Kong, June 2002

2
Background to the study

• Research Re-engineering the city Hong Kong in
  the 21st century
• Initial objectives Positioning Hong Kong through
  benchmarking, explaining, scenario building,
  re-engineering mechanisms.

3

• Comprehensive data promote and support debate
• Independence
• Draw out new areas in the local world city
  debate
• Governance
• Ecological modernization
• Social capital the role of the community and
  human resource development

4
Technological innovation
(Ecological modernization)
An enlightened mode of governanceA re-invented
government working in partnership with the
private sector the civil society
Globalization

• SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
• Economic capital
• Social capital
• Environmental capital

Local development
5
Important Concepts

• Governance process of managing and planning the
  city on a collective basis to reflect and serve
  the interests of all stakeholders in the pursuit
  of sustainable development
• Ecological modernization improving the
  environmental efficiency of the economy at the
  macro and micro levels
• Social capital trust and networks of civil
  society that facilitate cooperative action among
  both citizens and their institutions

6
MILLENNIUM CHALLENGES
International Globalization technological
innovation for sustainable development
National/regional China moving from centrally
planned economy to socialist market economy

• HONG KONG
• Further economic restructuring upgrading the old
  embracing the new
• Rebuilding social cultural capital
• Improving the quality of life
• A new mode of governance

7
Hong Kongs Millennium Challenges
Responses ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
?

• Governance
• Governance beyond government
• Re-inventing the government
• Rethinking the relationship between the private,
  public sector the community

• Further economic restructuring
• Upgrading industries
• Service sector reforms/development
• Greater co-operation with china
• Ecological modernization
• Social capital, trust and new economy

• Social and cultural capital
• Education system not coping
• Society not well-networked
• Capacity building in communities
• Social problems because of integration with S.
  China

• Environmental capital
• Northward shift of industries has led to
  cross-boundary environmental problems
• Quality of life
• Collective efforts at all levels

8
Hong Kongs Assets

• Position as an international financial centre
• Hard infrastructure
• Efficient use of limited land resources
• Low-crime Rate
• Accessible City
• Adaptability in response to changing business
  circumstances and opportunities
• Small government
• Free and open market

9
Study Analysis

• Polarized society
• Limited living space
• Expensive private property
• Environmental degradation
• Arts, culture and heritage conservation

10
An Alternative Agenda

• A new mode of urban governance towards a
  learning city through partnership
• Sustainable economic development
• Improving education upgrading industry
• Internationally competitive service sector
• Ecological modernization
• Community-based economic development

11
An Alternative Agenda

• Building human, social cultural capital
• Transition away from a finance dominated city
• Networked society such as healthy city projects
  by district councils
• Open and accessible society for international
  talents
• Environmental capital
• Policy integration consistency
• Protecting natural urban heritage through
  collective efforts
• Building a learning region