Description
University of Hawaii Press Trade Industrial Restructuring and Development in Hong Kong by Yin- Ping Ho
In just about 40 years, Hong Kong has, against all odds, developed from a relatively obscure entrepot into a thriving industrial and financial economy of world renown. While such a complete metamorphosis constitutes an intriguing story, what of its future? Challenges of creeping, if not steadily proliferating, mercantilist forces and changing international division of labor aside, the capitalist city-economy of Hong Kong is now facing the problem of changing governance. The future of Hong Kong and its post-1997 destiny as a free-market economy hang in the balance.Focusing on relationships concerning trade in manufactures, industrial restructuring and economic development and enforced by a rich source of data, this book offers an in-depth examination of the evolution and characteristics of Hong Kong's postwar economy. This book presents a historical and comparative perspective, and analyzes the symbiotic connection with South China in the light of China's open-door policy since the late 1970s, as well as providing a thoughtful assessment of its current turning-point.Despite its emphasis on the economy of Hong Kong this book has a broader objective: to contribute to the debate on alternative paths to growth and industrial restructuring in the context of a limited dirigisme, a debate particularly relevant not only to academics in the realm of development economics but also to government economists and other officials concerned with looking for growth lessons and development strategies.