港迎改革開放新里程 徒靠政商精英不足夠

<轉載自2018年11月14日 明報 社評>

慶祝改革開放40周年，國家主席習近平會見港澳各界訪問團時，一邊回顧歷史，一邊展望未來，對港澳提出4點希望。會晤安排突出特區行政長官的領導角色，以及帶領港澳融入國家發展大局的責任。習近平提到改革開放和一國兩制事業均進入新時代，香港需要肩負新角色，又強調要做好青年工作，惟放眼訪問團成員，大多是老面孔，相對年輕的多為富二代。另外，訪問團以政商精英為主，成員應該更加多元。早年內地改革開放需要資金，倚重香港商界可以理解，然而時移世易，推進現代化國家建設、說好當代中國故事，需要公民社會協助，不能只靠政商精英。

訪問團多老面孔 成員構成欠多元

今次訪問團赴京，分別由港澳兩地行政長官林鄭月娥和崔世安率領，習近平接見是重頭戲。無論是座談會還是大合照，林鄭都坐在習近平旁邊，至於兩位香港前任特首董建華和梁振英，則以全國政協副主席的國家領導人身分坐在一隅。董建華創辦的團結香港基金，近年提出不少政策建議，梁振英亦不時以個人身分，就港獨等議題發表意見，惹來一些干預特區政府施政的流言蜚語，然而由上月港珠澳大橋開通儀式到今次港澳訪問團安排，林鄭的角色都相當突出，種種安排都突顯她是香港事務的最高負責人。

習近平接見港澳訪問團，除了回顧歷史，更重要是展望將來。建設粵港澳大灣區是國策，中央支持香港成為國際創科中心，頗有讓香港扮演領頭羊的意味。中央突出行政長官角色，客觀效果可為林鄭提供更多政治能量，不過有權亦必然有責。林鄭表示，習近平重申一國兩制是港澳最大優勢，有助消除外界對建設大灣區的疑慮，然而真正困難是如何做到中央要求，在一國兩制和《基本法》框架內，「創新體制機制」，發揮粵港澳綜合優勢。特區政府必須在大灣區建設交出成績，始能向中央有所交代。

內地改革開放40年，香港扮演重要角色，習近平會見港澳訪問團，亦特別強調改革開放之初，港澳為內地經濟帶來資金、技術、人才和現代化管理概念，發揮了龍頭、示範、橋樑、試點等6方面作用。值得留意的是，習近平講話帶出一個重要信息：港澳在內地改革開放的獨特參與角色，需要放在民族復興宏觀歷史框架理解，不能只從個人利己主義又或功利主義互惠層次看待。習近平點名稱許多位港人，如邵逸夫、田家炳等，看重的是他們對國家民族的無私奉獻，強調的是香港與內地的無形紐帶，國家改革開放歷程就是港澳逐步融入國家發展大局的歷程。

內地力爭2035年完成國家現代化、本世紀中葉成為現代化強國，實現民族復興。內地改革開放踏上新台階，港澳發揮的獨特作用自然亦要調整，習近平的「4點希望」，正是期許港澳「更加積極主動」配合新的改革開放藍圖，倘若過度放大中美貿易戰等一時一地因素去理解，容易見樹不見林，忽略歷史發展脈絡。「4點希望」中，協助國家全面雙向開放，意在協助內地「引進來」和「走出去」；融入國家發展大局和參與國家治理實踐，核心在於要有國家大局觀；促進國際人文交流，則是講好當代中國故事和一國兩制故事。綜觀「4點希望」，第一點香港較為擅長，其餘3點香港未必這麼習慣。

過去40年內地改革開放，得力於不少港商和專業人士；下一個40年，不可能再由他們擔綱。習近平亦特意提及青年工作，鼓勵為港澳青年「多搭台、多搭梯」，創造有利青年成就人生夢想的社會環境，不過觀乎訪問團成員，很多都是老面孔，至於較為年輕的一群，不少都是富二代。誠然，習近平今次接見訪問團，用意之一是答謝過去40年為國家作出貢獻的港澳人士，年長一輩必然較多，不過整個訪京團的構成，予人感覺是新世代偏少，成員未夠多元化。訪問團內有學術界、教育界等界別人士，然而佔大多數的始終是政商精英，不足以反映刻下多元化的香港社會。

內地當局須離舒適圈 多接觸香港公民社會

內地依賴港資港商的年代已成為過去，香港要發展創科、推動大灣區建設，需要更多敢想敢做的年輕人參與，也需要公民社會配合支持。過去廿多年香港公民社會發展迅速，內地若要推動更高水平的改革開放，也必然令到社會更趨多元，問題是內地當局向來不擅長與公民社會打交道，甚至視之為洪水猛獸。內地經營對外關係常常面對的一個困境，就是太着重與政商精英打交道，與當地公民社會和民間組織缺乏溝通接觸，結果不時碰壁。內地當局應該跳出舒適圈，與公民社會作多元化的接觸，徒靠小撮政商精英對外說好中國故事，必然事倍功半。

Mainland's over-reliance on HK political and business elites

PRESIDENT Xi Jinping has received delegates from Hong Kong and Macao to celebrate the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening-up. Looking backward at the past and forward at the future, he outlined four points which he hoped Hong Kong and Macao would fulfil. The meeting highlighted the leading position of Hong Kong's Chief Executive as well as her responsibility for guiding the two cities towards integration into the country's overall development. Saying the country's reform and opening-up had entered a new era, Xi called for new roles to be played by Hong Kong and emphasised the need to put effort into youth development. However, take a look at the composition of the delegation and one will find that it was mostly made up of old faces while the relatively young delegates were mostly the second generation of the rich. The delegation was dominated by political and business elites. The composition should have been more diverse. Because capital was needed in the early years of reform and opening-up, the mainland's past reliance on Hong Kong's business sector was comprehensible. But as times have changed, support from civil society is necessary now to drive the building of a modernised country and tell a good story of contemporary China. Reliance on political and business elites alone will not achieve that end.

Hong Kong has played an important role since reform and opening-up was launched on the mainland forty years ago. When meeting with the delegation from Hong Kong and Macao, Xi also stressed that at the beginning stage of reform and opening-up, Hong Kong and Macao contributed to the mainland's economy by supplying capital, technology, talent and concepts of modernised management. He also mentioned six areas in which the two cities had played their roles, such as being the cities that were followed and learned from and that acted as bridges and pilot cities. It is noteworthy that his speech conveyed an important message: the unique role played by Hong Kong and Macao in the reform and opening-up of the mainland should be understood in the framework of the macro view of history regarding national rejuvenation. It should not be seen only from the perspective of individualist-egoism or reciprocal utilitarianism.

Over the past 40 years, the mainland's reform and opening-up has been supported by many businessmen and professionals from Hong Kong. But for the next 40 years, it is impossible for them to continue to play the same leading role. Xi also specifically touched upon the work on young people, encouraging Hong Kong and Macao to "build more platforms and ladders" for the younger generation and create a social milieu that could assist the young in fulfilling their lifelong dreams. However, if we look at the composition of the delegation, it was mostly made up of old faces while many of the relatively young delegates were the second generation of the rich. It is true that one purpose of Xi's meeting with the delegation was to thank those from the two cities who had contributed to the country over the past 40 years. So naturally there were more delegates from the older generation. Still, the overall composition of the delegation has given people the impression of the under-representation of the new generation and lack of diversity in terms of the delegates' backgrounds.

The era of the mainland's reliance on Hong Kong capital and Hong Kong enterprises has already ended. In order to develop innovation and technology and promote the building of the Greater Bay Area, Hong Kong needs the participation by more young people who dare to think and act. It also needs the collaboration of and support from its civil society. Hong Kong's civil society has developed rapidly over the past two decades. If the mainland goes for a higher level of reform and opening-up, that will also definitely lead to a more plural society. The problem is so far the mainland authorities have not been good at dealing with civil society. Instead, they have treated civil society as the scourge. One of the difficulties faced by the mainland in cultivating its external relations has been due to its over-emphasis on interacting with political and business elites and lack of communication or contact with civil society and non-governmental organisations. The mainland authorities should step outside its comfort zone and establish diverse contacts with civil society. Relying only on a small political and business elite to tell the outside a happy China story will inevitably mean hard work to little avail.

港迎改革開放新里程 徒靠政商精英不足夠

慶祝改革開放40周年，國家主席習近平會見港澳各界訪問團時，一邊回顧歷史，一邊展望未來，對港澳提出4點希望。會晤安排突出特區行政長官的領導角色，以及帶領港澳融入國家發展大局的責任。習近平提到改革開放和一國兩制事業均進入新時代，香港需要肩負新角色，又強調要做好青年工作，惟放眼訪問團成員，大多是老面孔，相對年輕的多為富二代。另外，訪問團以政商精英為主，成員應該更加多元。早年內地改革開放需要資金，倚重香港商界可以理解，然而時移世易，推進現代化國家建設、說好當代中國故事，需要公民社會協助，不能只靠政商精英。

內地改革開放40年，香港扮演重要角色，習近平會見港澳訪問團，亦特別強調改革開放之初，港澳為內地經濟帶來資金、技術、人才和現代化管理概念，發揮了龍頭、示範、橋樑、試點等6方面作用。值得留意的是，習近平講話帶出一個重要信息：港澳在內地改革開放的獨特參與角色，需要放在民族復興宏觀歷史框架理解，不能只從個人利己主義又或功利主義互惠層次看待。

過去40年內地改革開放，得力於不少港商和專業人士；下一個40年，不可能再由他們擔綱。習近平亦特意提及青年工作，鼓勵為港澳青年「多搭台、多搭梯」，創造有利青年成就人生夢想的社會環境，不過觀乎訪問團成員，很多都是老面孔，至於較為年輕的一群，不少都是富二代。誠然，習近平今次接見訪問團，用意之一是答謝過去40年為國家作出貢獻的港澳人士，年長一輩必然較多，不過整個訪京團的構成，予人感覺是新世代偏少，成員未夠多元化。

內地依賴港資港商的年代已成為過去，香港要發展創科、推動大灣區建設，需要更多敢想敢做的年輕人參與，也需要公民社會配合支持。過去廿多年香港公民社會發展迅速，內地若要推動更高水平的改革開放，也必然令到社會更趨多元，問題是內地當局向來不擅長與公民社會打交道，甚至視之為洪水猛獸。內地經營對外關係常常面對的一個困境，就是太着重與政商精英打交道，與當地公民社會和民間組織缺乏溝通接觸，結果不時碰壁。內地當局應該跳出舒適圈，與公民社會作多元化的接觸，徒靠小撮政商精英對外說好中國故事，必然事倍功半。