林鄭月娥：我的信心來自中央政府對香港的支持

【文/ 林鄭月娥，本文首發於CGTN】

自1997年7月1日迴歸祖國以來，香港作為中華人民共和國的特別行政區，其治理一直遵循“一國兩制”、“港人治港”、高度自治的方針。在中央人民政府的支持下，香港憑藉着與眾不同的特點和優勢發展成為國際金融中心、全球商業樞紐和展現着“中西合璧”獨特風貌的活力之城。從整體上看，“一國兩制”在香港的實踐取得了成功——不僅解決了歷史遺留的香港問題，而且保障了這座城市的繁榮與穩定。

“一國兩制”是前所未有的事業，在實踐過程中在所難免地會遇到一些新情況和新挑戰。至關重要的是，中央人民政府和香港特區政府能夠有效應對這些挑戰，確保“一國兩制”始終沿着正確方向前進。750萬香港人必須理解並支持制度改革，因為這是確保“一國兩制”得到全面準確貫徹落實的基礎。

在不到一年的時間裏，國家最高權力機關全國人大做出了兩項重要決定，讓香港重回正軌。2020年6月30日開始實施的香港國安法旨在完善香港製度下維護國家主權、領土完整和安全；而全國人大常委會於2021年3月30日審議通過的香港基本法附件一和附件二修訂案將堵住香港選舉制度的現有漏洞。兩項決定都是合憲、合法、必要和及時的。

港版國家安全法，香港繁榮穩定的保障。圖片來源AP

毫不意外，中央政府的這些關鍵行動招致了來自某些外國政府、政客和西方媒體的大量詆譭和惡意攻擊。他們實施慣用的“妖魔化”策略，把捍衞國家安全的行動抹黑為對個人權利和自由的打壓，稱選舉制度改革是民主的倒退。與此同時，他們對自2019年6月開始困擾香港人民一年多的騷亂、破壞和人身危險視而不見，將暴力和極端主義美化為“民主鬥爭”並對造成了香港立法會癱瘓的政治極端化視若無睹。反觀這些外國政府官員針對本國類似情況所持的立場，那麼兩相對比所展示出的“雙標”和虛偽讓人不得不為之感嘆。

國安法實施後，香港社會由亂及治，港人得以重新享受權利和自由。該法律由香港警方執行。同時，包括香港終審法院在內的法院能夠不受任何干預地審判國家安全案件。針對由全國人大常委會批准的選舉改革的地方立法一旦完成，香港將依法舉行選舉，落實“愛國者治港”原則。香港政治體系中的重要職位將由擁護“一國兩制”的人士擔任。此外，該體系還將通過廣泛的代表性和均衡有序的政治參與將香港的總體利益置於核心地位。

習近平主席曾將“一國兩制”比作大樹。“一國”是根，根深才能葉茂；“一國”是本，本固才能枝榮。全國人大具有里程碑意義的兩項決定鞏固了大樹的根基。隨着我們重回正確穩定的軌道，香港將迎來枝繁葉茂的未來。

我對於香港未來的信心也來自我們的城市特色和優勢，其中許多受到基本法的保障。這包括法治、司法獨立、資本的自由流動、自由兑換的貨幣、居民的基本權利、信息的自由流通、與全球第二大經濟體的臨近、以及地處迅速發展的亞洲的戰略性地理位置。具備了這些競爭優勢，香港經濟將取得良好發展，特別是在金融和科技領域。

佔香港GDP約21%的金融業在過去兩年多的社會、政治和公共衞生危機中展現了韌性。香港在過去12年中,有7年登上了全球IPO（公開募股）集資榜首。2020年，154家企業在港交所上市，共募集資金4000億港幣（約合514億美元）。香港目前已經成為全球第二大生物科技上市中心。香港與內地金融市場有着無可比擬的互通性，能夠通過“滬港通”、“債券通”和計劃實施的粵港澳大灣區“跨境理財通”等機制提供直接的雙向資本市場通道。香港同時也是全球最大的離岸人民幣樞紐和國際投資者首選的基金落户地。截止2019年底，香港的資產管理業務規模同比增長20%，達到29萬億港幣（約合3.7萬億美元），約為香港GDP十倍。為進一步鞏固香港作為首選資產及財富管理中心的地位，我們將採取四步措施，包括完善基金結構；為在港運營的私募基金所分發的“附帶權益”提供税務寬免；設立外地基金遷冊來港機制；以及推出金融激勵措施，鼓勵開放式基金型公司和房地產投資信託基金來港開拓業務。

創新和科技在香港的金融藍圖裏起步相對較晚，但前景非常光明。在過去三年中，香港特區政府出台了一攬子戰略，投資逾1100億港幣（約合140億美元）並實施了一系列措施鼓勵研發活動、培養人才、改善基礎設施等等。這些舉措的成效已經開始逐步顯現。香港本地初創企業數量增加了兩倍，由2014年的1100個左右增加至2020年的3300多個，勞動力增幅超過四倍。香港風險投資規模增加了7倍，從2014年的12億港元（約合1.54億美元）增至2019年的100億港元（約合12.8億美元）。在六年的時間裏，香港湧現出8家獨角獸企業。

林鄭月娥赴街站簽名，力撐“港區國安法”。圖片來源：大公網

得益於香港與鄰居深圳市所建立的互利共贏式夥伴關係，香港的創新和科技產業發展勢頭強勁。香港與深圳攜手並進，全速發展。港深創新及科技園項目正在兩座城市之間一塊佔地87公頃的香港屬地發展建設。這一毗鄰深圳的科技園將成為香港有史以來最大的創新和科技平台，充分發揮香港強大的研發實力與深圳強大的先進製造業實力之間的互補性優勢。此外，香港的兩家創新及科技旗艦機構，香港科學園和數碼港正在推進各自的拓展計劃。座落於將軍澳工業邨的數據技術中心剛剛啓用。此外，將軍澳工業邨先進製造業中心和元朗工業邨微電子中心項目也在穩步推進中。

為吸引全球研發人才，我們建立了兩個InnoHK創新香港研發平台，鼓勵本地高校與知名內地及海外機構開展合作項目。這兩個坐落於香港科學園內的平台主要關注醫療科技、人工智能和機器人技術。為進一步挖掘人才，我們將很快推出“科學、技術、工程和數學教育教授職位計劃”（STEM Professorship Scheme）以吸引傑出科學家及其科研團隊來港工作。

我的信心還來自於中央政府對香港的支持，這在近期發佈的國民經濟和社會發展第十四個五年規劃中就有所體現。這份最新的國家發展藍圖提出，國家將一如既往地支持香港提升國際金融、運輸和貿易中心地位以及亞太地區國際法律及爭議解決服務中心地位。此外，規劃還首次提出支持香港建設國際創新科技中心、提升國際航空樞紐地位、發展中外文化藝術交流中心以及建設區域知識產權貿易中心。

此外，發展速度最快的區域性經濟體之一粵港澳大灣區也將繼續為香港帶來巨大機遇。這一總人口7200萬、經濟總量1.7萬億美元的城市羣將為不同社會部門帶來大量發展機遇。無論是在大灣區內部還是之外，香港為投資者進入內地所發揮的門户作用將在中國的“雙循環”戰略中得到鞏固。在這一戰略下，我們的國家將堅持實施更大範圍、更寬領域、更深層次的經濟開放。同時，更多的中國企業將利用香港的專業服務“走出去”。作為高度市場導向的城市和國際經濟體，香港將在國家的“雙循環”發展戰略實施過程中積極參與國內循環並推動國際循環。

在中央政府的支持下，風暴過後的香港將走向更強大的未來。

（翻頁查看英文版）

Since its return to the motherland on July 1, 1997, Hong Kong, a local administrative region of the People’s Republic of China, has been governed under the principles of “One Country, Two Systems”, “Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong” and a high degree of autonomy. With the support of the Central People’s Government (CPG) and leveraging its distinct features and strengths, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) has grown into an international financial center, a global business hub and a vibrant city displaying the unique East meets West characteristics. The practice of “One Country, Two Systems” is on the whole successful – resolving the historical question of Hong Kong and ensuring its prosperity and stability.

“One Country, Two Systems” is an unprecedented initiative and in the course of its application, some new developments have occurred and new challenges inevitably emerge. It is imperative that both the CPG and the HKSAR Government address those challenges to ensure that “One Country, Two Systems” will continue to advance in the right direction. It is imperative that the 7.5 million Hong Kong people understand and support improvements to the systems to underpin the full and accurate implementation of “One Country, Two Systems.”

In less than a year’s time, the National Peoples Congress (NPC), the highest organ of state power, made two important decisions to get the HKSAR back on track.  The national security law enacted by the NPC Standing Committee and promulgated for implementation in Hong Kong on June 30, 2020 aims to improve the system for Hong Kong to safeguard the country’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and security, while amendments to Annex I and Annex II of the Basic Law by the NPC Standing Committee on March 30, 2021 will plug existing loopholes in Hong Kong’s electoral system. Both decisions are constitutional, legitimate, necessary and timely.

The Chief Executive, Carrie Lam (C), together with the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Erick Tsang Kwok-wai (L), and the Permanent Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Roy Tang (R), meet the media at the Central Government Offices,HKSAR, March 30, 2021. /HKSAR government offices

Not surprisingly, these decisive acts of the CPG have drawn a plethora of defamatory remarks and malicious attacks from some foreign governments, politicians and the Western media. Adopting their usual tactics, they have demonized the acts of safeguarding national security as clamp-down on individuals’ rights and freedoms and improvements to electoral system as retrogression in democracy. In so doing, they have turned a blind eye to the chaos, vandalism and personal danger suffered by Hong Kong people for over one year since June 2019; they have glorified violence and extremism as “fighting for democracy” and they have ignored the political radicalization that had paralyzed the Hong Kong legislature. Compared with the stance taken by these foreign government officials about similar acts happened on their home soil, one could only lament about the “double standards” and hypocrisy on display.

Implementation of the national security law has halted chaos and restored order in Hong Kong; Hong Kong people can once again enjoy their rights and freedoms. The Hong Kong Police is enforcing the Law and the courts of Hong Kong, including the Court of Final Appeal, are adjudicating national security cases without any interference.  Once local legislation is put in place to implement the improved electoral system as approved by the NPC Standing Committee, elections will be conducted in accordance with the law to put into practice the principle of “patriots administering Hong Kong.” Important constituents in Hong Kong’s political system will be served by people who will uphold the principle of “One Country, Two Systems” and through its broad representation and balanced participation, have Hong Kong’s overall interest at heart.

President Xi Jinping has once likened “One Country, Two Systems” to a tree. “One Country” is like the roots of a tree. For a tree to grow tall and luxuriant, its roots must run deep and strong. The two landmark decisions by the NPC have strengthened those roots. We can look forward to Hong Kong blooming and flourishing as we are back on a right and steady course.

My confidence in Hong Kong’s future also lies in our city’s uniqueness and strengths, many of which are guaranteed under the Basic Law. They include the rule of law, the independent judiciary, the free flow of capital, the freely convertible currency, the fundamental rights of the residents, the free flow of information and proximity to the world’s second largest economy and strategic geographical location in a fast growing Asia. With these competitive advantages, Hong Kong’s economy will do well, particularly in finances and technology.

The Chief Executive, Carrie Lam, learns more about a mobile robot developed by a local university with artificial intelligence, HKSAR, March 19, 2020. /HKSAR government offices.

Accounting for some 21 percent of our GDP, our financial sector has proven its resilience over two years of social, political and public health crises. Hong Kong was the world’s number one IPO venue in seven of the past 12 years. In 2020, 154 companies were listed in the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Market raising a totalIPO funds of HK$400 billion ($51.4 billion). Hong Kong is now the second-largest listing platform for biotechnology companies in the world. Hong Kong provides unrivalled connectivity with the Chinese mainland’s financial markets, offering direct two-way access through the Stock Connect and Bond Connect programmes, as well as the proposed Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Wealth Management Connect. We are, as well, the world’s largest offshore Renminbi business hub and the preferred place for international investors to park their funds. As of end 2019, the assets under management in Hong Kong increased by 20 percent year-on-year to HK$29 trillion ($3.7 trillion), which is about ten times of our GDP. We will further enhance Hong Kong’s position as a premier center for asset and wealth management through a four-step approach, including enhancing our fund structures; providing tax concessions for carried interest issued by private equity funds operating in Hong Kong; establishing a mechanism for foreign funds to re-domicile in Hong Kong; and providing financial incentives for setting up open-ended fund companies or real estate investment trusts.    

Innovation and technology is a relatively latecomer in our economic blueprint, but a very promising one.  Over the past three years, the HKSAR Government has invested over HK$110 billion ($14 billion) and rolled out a series of measures to encourage research and development (R&D), nurture talents, improve infrastructure, etc. under a multi-pronged strategy. These efforts are gradually bearing fruit. The number of local start-ups tripled from around 1100 in 2014 to over 3300 in 2020 with the manpower increased by over four times. Venture capital investment in Hong Kong increased seven-fold from HK$1.2 billion ($154 million) in 2014 to HK$10 billion ($1.28 billion) in 2019. In a span of six years, eight unicorns emerged in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong’s I&T development comes in strong through a win-win partnership with our neighbor – the city of Shenzhen. Together, we are pressing ahead full steam with the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park project situated on an 87-hectrate site in Hong Kong, right between Hong Kong and Shenzhen. This will be the largest-ever innovation and technology platform in Hong Kong. Adjacent to Shenzhen, the Park leverages the complementary advantages brought by Hong Kong’s solid R&D strengths and Shenzhen’s strong capability in advanced manufacturing. Furthermore, Hong Kong’s two flagship innovation and technology organizations, Hong Kong Science Park and Cyberport, are taking forward their expansion plans. A purpose-built Data Technology Hub has just opened at the Tseung Kwan O Industrial Estate, and a world-class Advanced Manufacturing Center and the Microelectronics Center are also taking shape.

The Chief Executive, Carrie Lam, visited Lok Ma Chau, HKSAR, February 13, 2021. /HKSAR government offices

To bring in global R&D talents, we are setting up the first two InnoHK clusters in research consisting of collaborations between local universities and renowned mainland and overseas institutions. Situated at the Hong Kong Science Park, they are focusing on healthcare technologies and artificial intelligence as well as robotics technologies. To give talent scouting a further boost, we will shortly launch the Global STEM Professorship Scheme to attract renowned scientists and their research teams to come and work in Hong Kong.

My confidence is further boosted by the support given by the CPG to Hong Kong as embedded in the 14th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development promulgated recently. In this latest national blueprint, Hong Kong’s competitive strengths as international financial, transportation and trade centers as well as a center for international legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia-Pacific region, continue to be recognized for advancement, while for the first time, our aspiration and ability to develop an international innovation and technology hub, an international aviation hub, an East meets West center for international cultural exchange and an intellectual property trading hub have been given recognition.

Furthermore, Hong Kong will benefit tremendously from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), one of the fastest growing regional economies in China and in the world.  With a total population of 72 million and a combined GDP of $1.7 trillion, the GBA will bring abundant development opportunities to different sectors of the community. Within and beyond the GBA, Hong Kong’s role as a gateway of investment into the mainland will be reinforced in China’s “dual circulation” strategy, under which our nation is committed to wider, broader, and deeper economic opening, while at the same time more Chinese companies will use Hong Kong’s professional services in going global. As a highly market-oriented city and an international economy, Hong Kong will proactively become a participant in domestic circulation and a facilitator in international circulation amidst the “dual circulation” development strategy of our country.

With the support of the Central Government, Hong Kong has weathered the storms and will emerge stronger.