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RESOURCE CENTER

Press Release

Press Conference on 2009 China Urban Cities Competitiveness Study (Hong Kong)

2009.04.15

Press Conference of
2009 China Urban Competitiveness Report (Hong Kong)

Organizer
The Better Hong Kong Foundation

Co-organizers
Institute of Finance and Trade Economics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences
Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

(15 April 2009, Hong Kong) The Press Conference of 2009 China Urban Competitiveness Report (Hong Kong) is held in Hong Kong on 15 April 2009. It is organized by The Better Hong Kong Foundation and co-organized by Institute of Finance and Trade Economics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies, The Chinese University of Hong Kong. “The 2009 China Urban Competitiveness Report” project is led by Prof. Pengfei Ni in the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. The urban competitiveness of 294 cities in mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau is analyzed.

1) Urban Competitiveness Ranking

The top 10 cities in overall urban competitiveness are: Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Beijing, Taipei, Guangzhou, Qingdao, Tianjin, Suzhou and Kaohsiung. Hong Kong also ranked the 1st in the efficiency competitiveness, development cost competitiveness and quality of life competitiveness. Hong Kong is ranked the 2nd in the scale competitiveness, economic efficiency and industrial competitiveness after Shanghai, Taipei and Beijing respectively. Comparing with rapidly growing cities in the mainland, Hong Kong is ranked 288th in growth competitiveness.

2) Urban Competitiveness in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau

Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Guangzhou are top three cities in urban competitiveness in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau. The Average competitiveness index of all cities in the region is 0.62, ranked 3rd among all regions in China. Among 23 cities in the region, 6 cities are among the top 20 cities in China. Another 8 cities are among the top 100-150 cities in China.

Cities in the region are strong in the overall competitiveness, growth competitiveness scale competitiveness and development cost competitiveness. But they are weak in the efficiency competitiveness, quality of life competitiveness and industrial competitiveness. It is important for the region to enhance its competitive advantages and adopt effective measures to enhance competitiveness in weak aspects.

Among the top 5 cities in the region, their ranking in the development cost is lower than other indicators. This indicates that these cities still follow the model of “high energy consumption and high pollution”. These cities should change their mode of economic growth and use the principle of sustainable development to guide economic development.

3) The International Position of Chinese Cities

Among cities in the world, the comprehensive urban competitiveness of Chinese cities is at middle and lower level. There is huge difference in urban competitiveness among Chinese cities. But the economic growth rate of Chinese cities is the highest in the world. The top Chinese city, Hong Kong is ranked 20th in competitiveness among 500 cities in the world. Among 10 cities with the highest growth rate, 8 are Chinese cities. Among the 50 cities with the highest growth rate, 40 are Chinese cities.

In terms of connectivity in the world urban network, Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai and Taipei have become important nodes. Hong Kong and Beijing are ranked 8th and 9th respectively among 624 cities in the world. They are Beta world cities and central cities in Asia-Pacific region. Shanghai and Taipei are ranked 19th and 22nd respectively. They are Gamma world cities. Guangzhou, Chengdu, Tianjin and Nanjin also play more and more important roles in world urban network.   

4) Remarks on the Result of Urban Competitiveness Study

Prof. Yue-man Yeung from The Chinese University of Hong Kong and Prof. Jianfa Shen from Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies of the same university commented on the result of urban competitiveness study in the press conference.

Prof. Yue-man Yeung pointed out first that, with the 2009 report, Chinese cities have gone global in objectives and strategy. This is keeping with the heightened role China can and is expected to play, given the financial tsunami that US and EU countries have found themselves over the past few months. Second, Hong Kong continued to do well, ranking first again among all Chinese cities. Even in most of the 12 competitive indices, Hong Kong stayed within the top three. The weakest is cultural competitiveness and scientific and technological competitiveness. Hong Kong has to pay more attention to these. Third, Hong Kong is poised for even better economic and competitive performance in the immediate future. Specifically, the Outline for the Development and Planning of the Pearl River Delta (PRD) was officially released in January 2009 and Hong Kong, along with Shanghai and four Guangdong cities, has been designated a role in a cross-border renminbi clearing scheme. This will enhance Hong Kong’s position as a financial centre. The recent designation of Shanghai as an international financial centre by 2020 means Hong Kong will have to gear up its efforts to maintain its leading position and to work out a division of labour with Shanghai in the years ahead.

Prof. Jianfa Shen commented that it is important to enhance economic integration between Hong Kong and PRD to enhance Hong Kong’s competitiveness. Hong Kong-Shenzhen cooperation is especially important. Improving cross-boundary facilities and services is one important measure to facilitate the movement of residents between two cities. The results of 2009 public opinion survey of research project “Inter-city Competition and Cooperation between Hong Kong and Shenzhen in the 11th Five-year Plan Period” revealed that most respondents are satisfied with the performance of government in the cooperation of cross-boundary infrastructure. Hong Kong residents believe that three most important problems to be solved for boundary crossing are the inadequate bus services in Shenzhen side (19.3%), long boundary crossing time (15.3%) and incontinent transit (15.1%). Some 15.6% and 19% of respondents have considered the possibility to live or work in Shenzhen or mainland cities respectively. Transport cost is an important factor in their decision of such relocation.

Concluding the press conference, Ms Karen Tang, Executive Director of the Better Hong Kong Foundation commented that “the competitiveness of Hong Kong is ranked the highest amongst the cities in China and 26th amongst the 500 cities in the world. Under fierce global competition and the recent global financial and economic crisis, the order of the world economy will definitely be affected. Relatively speaking, with the rapid growth of China’s economy in the recent decades and its economic structure, the impact of the global financial crisis to China is smaller. Hong Kong is an open economy which is inevitably affected by external environment. In order to continue to thrive, Hong Kong has to make use of its competitive advantage as an international business city as well as to leverage the benefit of its accessibility to the Mainland China. The government and Hong Kong community should proactively explore the opportunities arising from the Pearl River Delta Development Plan, to proactively encounter and resolve the incompatibility in developments within the region, and to adopt a new regional strategic development thinking and vision. With that, I am sure we can work out collaborations and opportunities which are beneficial to Hong Kong, the Pearl River Delta and to the nation as a whole. It is also in line with the direction of the Foundation’s work.” (Note: The Foundation organised the “Hong Kong Business Community Forum on Pearl River Delta Development Plan” on 27 March 2009.)

For enquiries, please contact Ms Jimmie Chow, Communications Manager of the Foundation at Tel: (852) 2865 3529 or email: jimmie_chow@betterhongkong.org.

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