林郑月娥：我的信心来自中央政府对香港的支持

【文/ 林郑月娥，本文首发于CGTN】

自1997年7月1日回归祖国以来，香港作为中华人民共和国的特别行政区，其治理一直遵循“一国两制”、“港人治港”、高度自治的方针。在中央人民政府的支持下，香港凭借着与众不同的特点和优势发展成为国际金融中心、全球商业枢纽和展现着“中西合璧”独特风貌的活力之城。从整体上看，“一国两制”在香港的实践取得了成功——不仅解决了历史遗留的香港问题，而且保障了这座城市的繁荣与稳定。

“一国两制”是前所未有的事业，在实践过程中在所难免地会遇到一些新情况和新挑战。至关重要的是，中央人民政府和香港特区政府能够有效应对这些挑战，确保“一国两制”始终沿着正确方向前进。750万香港人必须理解并支持制度改革，因为这是确保“一国两制”得到全面准确贯彻落实的基础。

在不到一年的时间里，国家最高权力机关全国人大做出了两项重要决定，让香港重回正轨。2020年6月30日开始实施的香港国安法旨在完善香港制度下维护国家主权、领土完整和安全；而全国人大常委会于2021年3月30日审议通过的香港基本法附件一和附件二修订案将堵住香港选举制度的现有漏洞。两项决定都是合宪、合法、必要和及时的。

港版国家安全法，香港繁荣稳定的保障。图片来源AP

毫不意外，中央政府的这些关键行动招致了来自某些外国政府、政客和西方媒体的大量诋毁和恶意攻击。他们实施惯用的“妖魔化”策略，把捍卫国家安全的行动抹黑为对个人权利和自由的打压，称选举制度改革是民主的倒退。与此同时，他们对自2019年6月开始困扰香港人民一年多的骚乱、破坏和人身危险视而不见，将暴力和极端主义美化为“民主斗争”并对造成了香港立法会瘫痪的政治极端化视若无睹。反观这些外国政府官员针对本国类似情况所持的立场，那么两相对比所展示出的“双标”和虚伪让人不得不为之感叹。

国安法实施后，香港社会由乱及治，港人得以重新享受权利和自由。该法律由香港警方执行。同时，包括香港终审法院在内的法院能够不受任何干预地审判国家安全案件。针对由全国人大常委会批准的选举改革的地方立法一旦完成，香港将依法举行选举，落实“爱国者治港”原则。香港政治体系中的重要职位将由拥护“一国两制”的人士担任。此外，该体系还将通过广泛的代表性和均衡有序的政治参与将香港的总体利益置于核心地位。

习近平主席曾将“一国两制”比作大树。“一国”是根，根深才能叶茂；“一国”是本，本固才能枝荣。全国人大具有里程碑意义的两项决定巩固了大树的根基。随着我们重回正确稳定的轨道，香港将迎来枝繁叶茂的未来。

我对于香港未来的信心也来自我们的城市特色和优势，其中许多受到基本法的保障。这包括法治、司法独立、资本的自由流动、自由兑换的货币、居民的基本权利、信息的自由流通、与全球第二大经济体的临近、以及地处迅速发展的亚洲的战略性地理位置。具备了这些竞争优势，香港经济将取得良好发展，特别是在金融和科技领域。

占香港GDP约21%的金融业在过去两年多的社会、政治和公共卫生危机中展现了韧性。香港在过去12年中,有7年登上了全球IPO（公开募股）集资榜首。2020年，154家企业在港交所上市，共募集资金4000亿港币（约合514亿美元）。香港目前已经成为全球第二大生物科技上市中心。香港与内地金融市场有着无可比拟的互通性，能够通过“沪港通”、“债券通”和计划实施的粤港澳大湾区“跨境理财通”等机制提供直接的双向资本市场通道。香港同时也是全球最大的离岸人民币枢纽和国际投资者首选的基金落户地。截止2019年底，香港的资产管理业务规模同比增长20%，达到29万亿港币（约合3.7万亿美元），约为香港GDP十倍。为进一步巩固香港作为首选资产及财富管理中心的地位，我们将采取四步措施，包括完善基金结构；为在港运营的私募基金所分发的“附带权益”提供税务宽免；设立外地基金迁册来港机制；以及推出金融激励措施，鼓励开放式基金型公司和房地产投资信托基金来港开拓业务。

创新和科技在香港的金融蓝图里起步相对较晚，但前景非常光明。在过去三年中，香港特区政府出台了一揽子战略，投资逾1100亿港币（约合140亿美元）并实施了一系列措施鼓励研发活动、培养人才、改善基础设施等等。这些举措的成效已经开始逐步显现。香港本地初创企业数量增加了两倍，由2014年的1100个左右增加至2020年的3300多个，劳动力增幅超过四倍。香港风险投资规模增加了7倍，从2014年的12亿港元（约合1.54亿美元）增至2019年的100亿港元（约合12.8亿美元）。在六年的时间里，香港涌现出8家独角兽企业。

林郑月娥赴街站签名，力撑“港区国安法”。图片来源：大公网

得益于香港与邻居深圳市所建立的互利共赢式伙伴关系，香港的创新和科技产业发展势头强劲。香港与深圳携手并进，全速发展。港深创新及科技园项目正在两座城市之间一块占地87公顷的香港属地发展建设。这一毗邻深圳的科技园将成为香港有史以来最大的创新和科技平台，充分发挥香港强大的研发实力与深圳强大的先进制造业实力之间的互补性优势。此外，香港的两家创新及科技旗舰机构，香港科学园和数码港正在推进各自的拓展计划。座落于将军澳工业邨的数据技术中心刚刚启用。此外，将军澳工业邨先进制造业中心和元朗工业邨微电子中心项目也在稳步推进中。

为吸引全球研发人才，我们建立了两个InnoHK创新香港研发平台，鼓励本地高校与知名内地及海外机构开展合作项目。这两个坐落于香港科学园内的平台主要关注医疗科技、人工智能和机器人技术。为进一步挖掘人才，我们将很快推出“科学、技术、工程和数学教育教授职位计划”（STEM Professorship Scheme）以吸引杰出科学家及其科研团队来港工作。

我的信心还来自于中央政府对香港的支持，这在近期发布的国民经济和社会发展第十四个五年规划中就有所体现。这份最新的国家发展蓝图提出，国家将一如既往地支持香港提升国际金融、运输和贸易中心地位以及亚太地区国际法律及争议解决服务中心地位。此外，规划还首次提出支持香港建设国际创新科技中心、提升国际航空枢纽地位、发展中外文化艺术交流中心以及建设区域知识产权贸易中心。

此外，发展速度最快的区域性经济体之一粤港澳大湾区也将继续为香港带来巨大机遇。这一总人口7200万、经济总量1.7万亿美元的城市群将为不同社会部门带来大量发展机遇。无论是在大湾区内部还是之外，香港为投资者进入内地所发挥的门户作用将在中国的“双循环”战略中得到巩固。在这一战略下，我们的国家将坚持实施更大范围、更宽领域、更深层次的经济开放。同时，更多的中国企业将利用香港的专业服务“走出去”。作为高度市场导向的城市和国际经济体，香港将在国家的“双循环”发展战略实施过程中积极参与国内循环并推动国际循环。

在中央政府的支持下，风暴过后的香港将走向更强大的未来。

（翻页查看英文版）

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.