Dedicate to second home with confidence
Foreign experts settled in Hong Kong share with China Daily how the city has changed their lives and how they have contributed to its development
1. Why did you come to Hong Kong? How did you overcome the challenges and become who you are today? What have you managed to achieve in Hong Kong so far?
Grenville Cross: In 1978, I was working as a prosecutor for the Customs and Excise Department in London, prosecuting cases mainly involving drugs, smuggling and tax evasion. One day, I saw an advertisement in The Times for a prosecutor in Hong Kong, and it sounded very interesting.
Once I arrived in Hong Kong, I was fascinated by everything. Although, culturally, things were very different, everybody was very kind, and this helped me to settle in. Within a very short time, I was prosecuting the most important types of cases, including murders, rapes and robberies, which would not have been possible in England for someone so junior, and this was very fulfilling.
I found a city that welcomed foreigners and rewarded merit, and my career, despite the occasional setback, developed as I wished. After 1997, I was appointed the director of public prosecutions (DPP).
Since I stood down as DPP in 2009, I have moved into fresh areas. I have, for example, taken up professorial appointments at various universities, both in Hong Kong and the mainland, explained criminal justice issues in various forums, written legal texts and opinion pieces, advocated child rights, and stood up for Hong Kong and its policies whenever it has been necessary.
Allan Zeman: I first came to Hong Kong in the early 1970s as I was in the fashion business. I was in Hong Kong for a sourcing trip. I was 19 years old and had already established my own fashion business in Canada. When I first landed in Hong Kong, I felt the can-do spirit. Everyone was so busy and always doing something. I saw the opportunity available in this vibrant and energetic city. I learned about the low tax-base system so I decided to stay. I then opened a trading company in Hong Kong called Colby International and expanded to 35 offices worldwide, making the city the head office. In the early 1980s, I started the Lan Kwai Fong area which became one of Hong Kong’s most popular tourist destinations.
I also established my first office in Changsha city of Hunan province around 1980 and continue to take part and watch the growth of China. In 2008, I gave up my Canadian passport and became a Chinese citizen.
Mark Pinkstone: I worked in the South China Morning Post in Wyndham Street, Central, and that was where I met my future wife, the librarian in the paper. At that time, Hong Kong was one of the world’s largest publishers, with high-class printing of magazines from around the world. I spent seven years in publishing before joining the government Information Services Department in 1977. It was a new career that changed my life. I worked through the ranks to become the Government Secretariat press officer as spokesman for all policy secretaries. I retired from the government in 1995 as chief information officer in charge of overseas public relations.
As a resident in Hong Kong for the past 50 years, I can compare the first half of my Hong Kong experience under British rule with the second half under the central government. The main difference has been transparency. The colonial administration was extremely secretive, with major decisions made in London without consulting Hong Kong people. Today, the administration is very transparent.
Chandran Nair: I was headhunted to join an international environmental consulting firm which had one office in Asia, and that was in Hong Kong. There were not too many challenges except one: finding a business that is competitive and finding ways to differentiate and try to be the best. In that regard, the healthy nature of business competition taught me a lot of lessons, which have helped me expand business and work internationally. The opportunity provided in Hong Kong enabled me to grow what was and is widely regarded even today as the most successful environmental consulting firm in Asia. When I decided to leave consulting, Hong Kong provided the perfect platform to create an independent Pan-Asian think tank, given its proximity to the rapidly changing situation in the country and of course the rest of Asia and the world.
2.
Could you share with us your memories about Hong Kong’s return to the country? How do you and the expatriate community here see the city’s return to the country and “one country, two systems”? Has “one country, two systems” had any impact on your way of life and work in Hong Kong?
Allan Zeman: My memory about Hong Kong’s return is very vivid. On June 30, 1997, I was first invited by Prince Charles to have lunch with him on the Britannia before the final sailing out of Hong Kong. In the evening I was invited to the British ceremony in the open seats in Tamar, but unfortunately it rained very heavily that evening and caused the audience to get very wet. Just before midnight, the ceremony ended. After that I was invited to witness the official handover in the new Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, which was purposely built for this event. I was there till 4 am watching thenpresident Jiang Zemin and Prince Charles perform the handover ceremony as the rest of the world watched with great interest. This was like being part of history and the feeling cannot be described.
“One country, two systems” was actually an idea that late leader Deng Xiaoping came up with to promote China’s reunification. This helped to settle the anxiety of Hong Kong people and resulted in 25 years of this new system being perfected. It allowed Hong Kong to have a common law legal system and a very trusting Judiciary. This gave confidence to many large international companies to make Hong Kong their headquarters. Hong Kong has become the super-connector between the East and the West. It helped the nation to become one of the fastest growing economies in the world. This also attracted many expats who wanted to do business in China but were happy to live in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. It also helped to make Hong Kong an international financial center.
Richard Cullen: My memories are now many and varied, after living here for over 25 years. As I have read more about the history of Hong Kong and the country, I can feel a deeper connection to Hong Kong — and to the experience of Hong Kong in the country.
“One country, two systems” has not all been “plain sailing” — yet it has, overall, proved to be a remarkably original idea that has worked exceptionally well for the city — and China — based on any balanced assessment. It is also a highly engaging constitutional experiment that is fascinating to study.
3.
the first director of public prosecutions of the Hong Kong SAR
Allan Zeman, chairman of Lan Kwai Fong Group
Chandran Nair, founder and CEO of the panAsia think tank Global Institute for Tomorrow
Since 1997, Hong Kong has seen a growing number of foreigners living and working in the city. The SAR remains one of the most attractive places for talent from all over the world. What is it about Hong Kong that has kept people coming here? What would you say is crucial to attracting talent to Hong Kong from around the world?
Grenville Cross: Quite clearly, the “one country, two systems” governing policy makes Hong Kong a very attractive proposition for outsiders, particularly businesspeople. The policy is enshrined in the Basic Law, the whole emphasis of which is upon continuity, with the capitalist system and way of life being guaranteed for at least 50 years. As a local administrative region coming directly under the Central People’s Government, Hong Kong enjoys a special status, and this includes exercising its “high degree of autonomy”.
This means that Hong Kong has continued to flourish as a financial center, as a trading hub, and as a place for legal and arbitration services. It also provides a bridge to the Chinese mainland, and it is highly valued for its common-law-based legal system, which inspires confidence throughout the world. The judiciary is perhaps the most professional in the Asia-Pacific Region, and everybody understands that it resolves disputes equitably and tries suspects fairly.
Richard Cullen: If you really enjoy city living, it is very hard to beat Hong Kong, in my view. So a primary attractive aspect is that it is a marvelous place to live — provided you do enjoy big-city living. Next, because of its geography, and its role, for almost 200 years, of being China’s primary internationally linked city, it has offered outstanding work and career opportunities.
Quentin Parker: I have been amazed at the number of French and Italian expats I have encountered since I arrived in Hong Kong and their growing local businesses — it’s certainly not just finance. Global talents are attracted by the high rewards, exciting dynamism, wonderful opportunities, low-tax environment, respected regulatory framework, strong judicial protection, and top reputation in finance, business trade and transport. Hong Kong is a key global transport nexus and still a real gateway between East and West. There is no denying the unrest and pandemic have dented these attractions. I hope and believe this is short term and will rapidly reverse once real stability in travel and trade return as the underlying pull factors remain in place.
Mark Pinkstone: The beauty of Hong Kong is its vibes, its busyness, its excitement. Hong Kong is alive and exciting. It is a can-do place where nothing is impossible. It is also tough and competitive. If a foreigner can make it in Hong Kong, he can make it anywhere else. Foreigners have to compete with very talented local professions and can only survive with the experiences they bring from their origins. It is this mix of local and foreign expertise that makes Hong Kong great.
4.
The central government, under the leadership of President Xi Jinping, has attached great importance to Hong Kong, helping the city recover from the 2019 social unrest and the COVID-19 pandemic. Why do you think the central government is attaching such great importance to Hong Kong? What role has the central government’s assistance played in the SAR’s efforts to overcome these daunting challenges?
Grenville Cross: Since 1997, Hong Kong has enjoyed many successes while also confronting significant challenges. Against a background of geopolitical rivalry, there were repeated attempts to destabilize the city in order to weaken China.
They did not, however, succeed, and, now that national security has been strengthened and the electoral arrangements improved, the city is back on track, for which we have wise thinking in Beijing to thank.
Allan Zeman: I truly believe that Hong Kong is blessed that President Xi and the central authorities have been so supportive of the city. Hong Kong is truly fortunate in this regard. I believe that China needs the Hong Kong SAR as an international financial center. The central government has played a significant role in upholding Hong Kong’s uniqueness under “one country, two systems” while at the same time, protecting and keeping Hong Kong free from overseas interference.
Chandran Nair: In my view, and it is no secret, if the SAR fails, then those who are opposed to China’s rise will seize on it to further the confrontation with China and to demonize it. Thus it is only natural that the sovereign state will make all efforts to ensure this does not happen. Other reasons of course include the fact that the Hong Kong SAR still plays the crucial role of a gateway to China and particularly in relation to its function as an international financial hub. But this should not be taken for granted or overstated. The central government has over the years done many things to ensure Hong Kong is integrated. I think the most important one now is the creation of the (Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao) Greater Bay Area, and it is hoped that Hong Kong seizes the opportunity, which if it does, will rewrite the history of Hong Kong’s success to date.
5.
Richard Cullen, visiting professor in the Faculty of Law at the University of Hong Kong
Quentin Parker, director of the Laboratory for Space Research at the University of Hong Kong
The central government has introduced a string of favorable policies for Hong Kong since the city’s return to the country. Some of these policies are to help locals and some are to facilitate Hong Kong residents studying, living and working on the Chinese mainland. What do you think of the far-reaching impact these policies have on Hong Kong and its people?
Chandran Nair: These policies are very useful. The key now is to leverage these policies and encourage as well as nudge young people of the Hong Kong SAR to go and experience the real Chinese mainland — travel, study, work — so they can understand the scale of the country, the challenges it faces, the nature of the political economy, and how they can be part of what will inevitability be the biggest story for the next half a century. We have benefited in many ways, but one is the opportunity to work with mainland organizations to allow young people and professionals from the Hong Kong SAR and the rest of the world to understand China better. The openness of China to these people is something else that should be used to promote understanding and peace.
Quentin Parker: Eventual fuller integration into the mainland and the GBA especially is as inevitable as it is beneficial. This is because so much growth and opportunity will come from a region that is already almost as wealthy as the UK with a similar population spread across the 11 GBA cities. Integration does not mean everything has to be the same — quite the reverse. In multicultural global cities like London, Sydney and New York, there is integration into the overall system, but cultures and languages, cuisines and habits remain distinct and vibrant and can flourish and survive.
Eventually, I believe transport to and from the HKSAR and the (rest of the) GBA will become almost seamless and second nature to tens of thousands of daily commuters. People will move for jobs, opportunities, family and lifestyle between the great cities of the GBA as a more-integrated special economic zone flourishes farther and wider.
6.
There’s no doubt that Hong Kong’s links with the Chinese mainland have deepened on all fronts since 1997. Has deeper integration between Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland benefited yourself, your community and your profession or industry?
Allan Zeman: With Hong Kong having a close relationship with the mainland, it has a tremendous impact on our tourism industry as well as our financial services. The largest constituents of the Hang Seng Index are Chinese companies such as Tencent, Meituan, and China Construction Bank. Such a huge business opportunity is incomparable in any other economy around the globe. In addition, with the high-speed infrastructure network between the mainland and Hong Kong, the one-hour living circle will give us more choices in making business decisions like the location for setting up our headquarters, offices, production plants, and which can help my industry decrease operational costs and enhance efficiency.
With the integration between Hong Kong and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, it also presents great opportunities for Hong Kong.
Quentin Parker: I visited the mainland more than 25 times between 2015 and 2019 before COVID-19 stopped everything. I was always amazed by the kindness, generosity, respect and sincere desire to collaborate that I encountered wherever I went. As a result of these visits, HKU was able to gain access for all HKSAR astronomers to Chinese astronomical facilities when we signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Astronomical Observatories of China. (We also) built strong relationships with top mainland entities like the Beijing Institute of Space Mechanics and Electricity and DFH Satellite Co while also building a strong relationship with a Zhejiang University microsatellites research group.
7.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the handover, and the halfway mark in implementing 50 years of “one country, two systems”. What about the next 25 years? Some people think that the policy will change after 50 years. What do you think?
Grenville Cross: I have great confidence in Hong Kong’s future, not only in the next 25 years but also beyond. As the Basic Law indicates, the city’s arrangements will remain unchanged until 2047, and I expect them to continue thereafter. There is absolutely no need to change things, certainly not in any radical way. After the traumatic experiences of recent years, the “one country, two systems” policy has proved its worth, and the city has now come of age.
Richard Cullen: Following the radical, required fundamental legislative changes introduced into the HKSAR since 2019, including the enactment of the National Security Law for Hong Kong and the improvement of electoral systems, I believe the foundations for the continued positive operation of “one country, two systems” are in very good shape.
Many challenges and difficulties will likely arise over the next 25 years — especially externally — but I am confident that the policy will cope with these. I look forward also to future generations enjoying the benefits of the policy’s operation within the HKSAR, well beyond 2047. I agree completely with a recent observation that “Hong Kong has always come out on the right side of history.”