【明報專訊】CHINA has made accelerating the development of new productive forces a priority. Ge Ming, the first-ever Commissioner for Industry of the SAR, says that when it comes to developing new productive forces, Hong Kong has its own strengths and shortcomings, the latter including the transformation of scientific research results and the creation of an industrial environment. These are areas that need to be strengthened.
In December 2022, the government published the "Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Development Blueprint", proposing the creation of a Commissioner for Industry tasked with coordinating and steering the relevant policy support for the innovation and technology industry. The first-ever Commissioner for Industry, Ge Ming, is an expert in mechanical and automation engineering. He assumed office in late February this year to lead the newly established New Industrialisation Development Office.
In his first interview after taking office, Ge described Hong Kong as being in the "best stage" of innovative, technological and industrial development. Ge mentioned the recent participation of many Nobel laureates in a Hong Kong forum and several companies from Beijing, Tianjin and Xiongan that intended to set up offices in Hong Kong, which he thought reflected their optimism about the development of Hong Kong's innovation and technology. Since he assumed his post, his priority has been to launch a "New Industrialisation Acceleration Scheme" as soon as possible to encourage enterprises to invest and set up factories in Hong Kong and develop key industries.
In the past, when the SAR government tried to promote the development of innovation and technology and re-industrialisation, a major problem was the lack of a clear set of industrial policies. Its measures were fragmented and lacked co-ordination, with more talk than action. The Commissioner for Industry and the New Industrialisation Development Office are tasked with weighty responsibilities and have a long campaign ahead. It is hoped that they will carry out their functions as expected and make up for past shortcomings.
In the 1960s and 1970s, Hong Kong was famous for its light industry. With the reform and opening-up of the Mainland, Hong Kong's manufacturing industry migrated northward in the 1980s, and the financial services industry took advantage of the trend and boomed. The influx of funds propelled the property and stock markets to one new high after another. As it was too easy to make money through speculation, it in turn furthered the short-term mentality of making quick money. The financial industry is supposed to serve the real economy, with the two complementing each other and working in tandem. In Hong Kong, however, financial services have replaced the manufacturing industry.
Early into Hong Kong's return to Chinese sovereignty, the SAR government proposed building Hong Kong into an innovation and technology hub. But the business community said that property speculation and stock trading "reigned supreme". Hong Kong became increasingly dependent on the real estate market, resulting in high property prices and high rents, which eroded Hong Kong's competitiveness. The neighbouring city of Shenzhen, in contrast, successfully achieved economic upgrading and transformation through innovation and technology.
Over the past ten years, the SAR government has realised the need to play catch-up, and has begun to achieve more in innovation, technology and re-industrialisation. In recent years, the property market has fallen from its peak. This, together with changes in the geopolitical situation, means that Hong Kong must accelerate its integration into the overall development of China. Hong Kong cannot return to the same old path.
When it comes to developing innovation and technology, people with skills are of crucial importance. If Hong Kong wants to attract and retain talent, it must show them that Hong Kong is determined to take the long view and invest in the future instead of pursuing quick, short-term profits.
明報社評 2024.04.26：加快新型工業化步伐 改變「搵快錢」短視心態
國家將加快發展新質生產力列為工作重點，特區首任工業專員葛明指出，本港發展新質生產力，既有強項也有不足，科研成果轉化和建立產業環境皆為弱項，有待加強。
政府前年12月公布《香港創新科技發展藍圖》，提出設立工業專員，統籌及督導創科產業政策支援工作，首任工業專員葛明是機械自動化工程學專家，今年2月底履新，領導新成立的「新型工業發展辦公室」。
葛明上任後首度受訪，形容香港正處於創科及工業發展「最好的一個階段」，舉例近日有多名諾貝爾獎得主來港參與論壇，亦有數間來自北京、天津及雄安新區的企業有意落戶香港，反映他們看好香港創科發展，他上任後的首要工作，是盡快推出「新型工業加速計劃」，鼓勵企業在港投資設廠、發展重點產業。
特區政府推動創科發展及再工業化，以往一個主要問題是沒有一套清晰的產業政策，措施零碎，缺乏統籌，講多過做。工業專員和新型工業發展辦公室任重道遠，唯盼可以發揮應有作用，彌補過去的不足。
上世紀六七十年代，香港曾以輕工業聞名。隨着內地改革開放，1980年代本港製造業北移，金融服務業乘勢而興，資金滾滾而來，帶動樓市股市蒸蒸日上，投機賺錢太過容易，倒過來又進一步助長了「搵快錢」短線心態。金融業服務實體經濟，兩者本是相輔相成，可以齊頭並進，然而香港的情况卻是「金融服務取代製造實業」。
回歸初期，特區政府曾提出要將香港建設成為創新科技樞紐，然而商界說的卻是炒樓炒股才是「王道」，變得愈來愈依賴房地產市場，高樓價高租金蠶食了香港競爭力，反觀毗鄰的深圳，則成功憑藉創新科技，實現經濟升級轉型。
過去10年，特區當局意識到要追落後，在創新科技及再工業化方面，開始有較多作為。近年樓市由高峰下滑，加上地緣政治形勢轉變，香港必須加快融入國家發展大局。香港不能再走舊路。
發展創科，最重要是人才，香港要凝聚這些人才，必須讓他們看到香港有心放眼長遠投資未來，而不是追逐近利搵快錢至上。
■/ Glossary 生字 /
laureate : a person who has been given an official honour or prize for something important they have achieved
in tandem : doing something together or at the same time as someone or something else
reign supreme : if someone or something reigns supreme, they are the most important part of a situation or time