After this week's lecture and the excellent presentation by Ms Teresa Au of HSBC, it would be fair to ask: Is the CSR trend is for real - or is it driven by profits...or maybe both? If companies are motivated by profits to adopt responsible and sustainable business practices, is that so bad? This recent article summarizes the issues fairly well.
Some experts argue that the most successful examples of corporate engagement in society are those that align with the company's business proposition or business model, i.e. they create new opportunities to make money since consumers increasingly want products and services that are socially responsible. Consider such programs as Nike's decision to implement sustainable practices into the design and manufacture of all its products by its many contractors. Or Microsoft's offer of a suite of software for just US$3 to students in developing countries where governments provide schools with low-cost computers.
What do you think?
2007-11-16
Submitting Your Editorials/Papers
POLI0019 students should submit their editorials (either as a team or individual) to the Politics and Public Administration Department office, 622 Meng Wah, by the close of business - 7 pm - on Friday, 23 November. Please hand your assignment to the staff at the counter.
POLI0068 students should submit their papers (either as a team or individual) to the same office by the close of business on Friday, 7 December. Please note that from 3 December the PPA office will be closing at 6 pm, an hour earlier than on teaching days.
Please look at the syllabus for guidelines on the format of your assignments and the policy for submitting papers/editorials late.
POLI0068 students should submit their papers (either as a team or individual) to the same office by the close of business on Friday, 7 December. Please note that from 3 December the PPA office will be closing at 6 pm, an hour earlier than on teaching days.
Please look at the syllabus for guidelines on the format of your assignments and the policy for submitting papers/editorials late.
POLI0068 Research Papers
Many thanks to the IBGM students for staying late yesterday to get through all the presentations that were on hand. I appreciate that many of you had another class to go to and therefore had an abbreviated lunch period. I will be preparing more detailed reactions to each of your proposals over the next few days and will e-mail each team or individual. But please don't wait to hear from me. You should be proceeding with your research, particularly those of you who wish to interview sources. It can take time to set up meetings or to get e-mail replies to questions. Meanwhile, do send me an e-mail if you have any questions on your paper or anything else.
Any POLI0068 students that have not submitted a paper proposal, please do so immediately if you are in fact writing a paper, i.e. if you are at all concerned about the assessment you will receive at the end of the course. Without a proposal and certainly without a paper, I will have little alternative as to the assessment I will file.
Any POLI0068 students that have not submitted a paper proposal, please do so immediately if you are in fact writing a paper, i.e. if you are at all concerned about the assessment you will receive at the end of the course. Without a proposal and certainly without a paper, I will have little alternative as to the assessment I will file.
POLI0019 Final Examination
I thought I would give POLI0019 students more information about the final exam.
As you know, it will run from 9.30 am to 11.30 am on 14 December. You will have to answer just two questions of equal weight from a selection of five. The best essays will be those that use specific references to readings, what specific guest speakers said, other authoritative sources and examples to support the line of argument. As I've mentioned before, consider the blog to be good practice for the exam. The difference is that you will have only about an hour for each question. Please try to write with your best grammar and spelling, but don't get too concerned about writing in perfect English (though I hope that those who feel they can improve their English will continue to do so). Finally, please write legibly. If I can't read it, then I won't be able to understand your answer.
As you know, it will run from 9.30 am to 11.30 am on 14 December. You will have to answer just two questions of equal weight from a selection of five. The best essays will be those that use specific references to readings, what specific guest speakers said, other authoritative sources and examples to support the line of argument. As I've mentioned before, consider the blog to be good practice for the exam. The difference is that you will have only about an hour for each question. Please try to write with your best grammar and spelling, but don't get too concerned about writing in perfect English (though I hope that those who feel they can improve their English will continue to do so). Finally, please write legibly. If I can't read it, then I won't be able to understand your answer.
Questions?
As editorial and paper deadlines loom, if you should have any questions about these assignments or anything else, please don't hesitate to contact either Mr Wong or me. I will respond as soon as possible by e-mail.
Lecture at the Faculty of Law: Anson Chan Fang On-sang
Since I was not in the end able to get Anson Chan to be a guest speaker, those of you who missed her previous appearances on campus including her recent debate with Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee may want to listen to her deliver on 19 November at 7 pm the inaugural public lecture of the Legal Exhibition Project of the Law Association. The title of her talk is "Legal Education: The Basic Law and Good Governance."The venue is the Wang Gungwu Lecture Hall, Graduate House. Details may be found here.
No Lecture on 21 November
This is a reminder that there is NO lecture on Wednesday, 21 November. But POLI0019 students should remember that there are tutorial meetings on that day. This will be the first round of the debates, with the second round on 28 November. POLI0019 students should contact Mr Wong with any questions.
POLI0068 IBGM students will have no tutorial on 21 November. Our next tutorial will be on 28 November.
POLI0068 IBGM students will have no tutorial on 21 November. Our next tutorial will be on 28 November.
2007-11-12
Corporate Social Responsibility
In our next class, we will be talking about corporate social responsibility. Now, what does this have to do with Hong Kong and the world, you might ask. We have been discussing the role of business in Hong Kong. Some of our speakers have been critical of the business sector for not supporting political development or cultural activities. The pollution problem has been linked to Hong Kong investment in factories in southern China. Because of the importance of business in Hong Kong and in society in general, we should be talking about what exactly the responsibilities of business are.
As I began to explain in my previous lecture - before we ran out of time - we have seen the power of corporations rise in recent decades. Many major companies have market capitalizations much larger than many countries. In the same way that the emergence of the modern nation state in the West undermined the power of the church, the rise of corporate power, it can be argued, has eclipsed that of national governments. Even the mighty military of the the United States depends in large part on private industry for supplies, weaponry and services.
As the pace of globalization has intensified, the ability of nation states to tackle global problems such as climate change, extremism and terrorism, public health health threats, and the growing income gap and poverty has weakened, particularly in the absence of any strong institutions of global governance. So as nation states have been confronted by the limits to their power, the influence of corporations on communities and the lives of citizens as well as on our environment has expanded considerably.
And so while citizens may still look to governments for solutions and leadership, they now also turn to corporations, perhaps even more so, given the enormous resources and the global presence that many companies have. There is growing acceptance among businesspeople around the world that the company must not just look after the interests of its owners and shareholders but must also be concerned with the welfare of its stakeholders, or any groups, communities, organizations or individuals that might be affected in any way by or have an interest in the corporation's activities.
As one would expect, corporations are often the targets of civil society activism, which has increased in recent years. In Hong Kong, the business sector has received its share of criticism from the public - some of it warranted, some of it undeserved. It is therefore very important for us as critical thinkers to consider CSR in Hong Kong, particularly in our major corporations such as HSBC. If Hong Kong is to secure and further develop its status as a global city, it stands to reason that the SAR should be at the forefront of promoting corporate social responsibility in the region and the world.
A major problem with any discussion of CSR, however, is that there is no single definition of the term. "Corporate social responsibility" is often used interchangeably with the concept of "corporate governance". And despite the more frequent use of the term "sustainability" and the increasing number of institutions that are appointing "sustainability officers", this concept too has remained somewhat ill defined. I look forward to hearing from Teresa Au of HSBC how she defines "corporate social responsibility" and "sustainability".
You might look at the website of the group CSR Asia for more information.
As I began to explain in my previous lecture - before we ran out of time - we have seen the power of corporations rise in recent decades. Many major companies have market capitalizations much larger than many countries. In the same way that the emergence of the modern nation state in the West undermined the power of the church, the rise of corporate power, it can be argued, has eclipsed that of national governments. Even the mighty military of the the United States depends in large part on private industry for supplies, weaponry and services.
As the pace of globalization has intensified, the ability of nation states to tackle global problems such as climate change, extremism and terrorism, public health health threats, and the growing income gap and poverty has weakened, particularly in the absence of any strong institutions of global governance. So as nation states have been confronted by the limits to their power, the influence of corporations on communities and the lives of citizens as well as on our environment has expanded considerably.
And so while citizens may still look to governments for solutions and leadership, they now also turn to corporations, perhaps even more so, given the enormous resources and the global presence that many companies have. There is growing acceptance among businesspeople around the world that the company must not just look after the interests of its owners and shareholders but must also be concerned with the welfare of its stakeholders, or any groups, communities, organizations or individuals that might be affected in any way by or have an interest in the corporation's activities.
As one would expect, corporations are often the targets of civil society activism, which has increased in recent years. In Hong Kong, the business sector has received its share of criticism from the public - some of it warranted, some of it undeserved. It is therefore very important for us as critical thinkers to consider CSR in Hong Kong, particularly in our major corporations such as HSBC. If Hong Kong is to secure and further develop its status as a global city, it stands to reason that the SAR should be at the forefront of promoting corporate social responsibility in the region and the world.
A major problem with any discussion of CSR, however, is that there is no single definition of the term. "Corporate social responsibility" is often used interchangeably with the concept of "corporate governance". And despite the more frequent use of the term "sustainability" and the increasing number of institutions that are appointing "sustainability officers", this concept too has remained somewhat ill defined. I look forward to hearing from Teresa Au of HSBC how she defines "corporate social responsibility" and "sustainability".
You might look at the website of the group CSR Asia for more information.
2007-11-11
Deadline for Blog Comments: 14 December
The deadline for posting blog comments is Friday, 14 December. Please remember that by the end of the course you should have contributed at least three times. Greater frequency will be rewarded, but quality is the main criterion for assessment. Postings need not be long. What counts most are the ideas and arguments and how original or thoughtful they are. Particularly good comments are those that react to the lectures, to tutorial discussions, to what guest speakers have said and to readings and other material. Consider this good practice for the final exam.
You may comment on anything on the blog - questions posed, articles linked to the site, comments by other students. If you wish to post an original comment to start a thread, please send it to me and I will upload it for you.
Please do not leave your blogging to the last minute. (We aren't even half way to our goal!) Spare a thought for the person (me!) who will have to read all the papers, editorials, exams and blog comments over the holidays...
You may comment on anything on the blog - questions posed, articles linked to the site, comments by other students. If you wish to post an original comment to start a thread, please send it to me and I will upload it for you.
Please do not leave your blogging to the last minute. (We aren't even half way to our goal!) Spare a thought for the person (me!) who will have to read all the papers, editorials, exams and blog comments over the holidays...
2007-11-10
Anthony Cheung Bing-leung on How to Boost Hong Kong's Competitiveness: "Cultivate originality and promote quality teaching"
In today's South China Morning Post (page A13), Executive Councillor Anthony Cheung Bing-leung has an editorial in which he calls for more attention to education and the "cultivation of the mind" to boost Hong Kong's competitiveness. Mr Cheung is the incoming president of the Hong Kong Institute of Education. Here is a link to the essay, but do note that full access to articles on the SCMP website requires registration and is not free.
POLI0068 Paper Proposal Presentations
In the POLI0068 tutorial on Wednesday, 14 November, we will need to go through all the remaining paper topic proposals. For those of you who have yet to do so, please e-mail your outline to me before class if you can so that I have a chance to go over it.
2007-11-09
Office Hours
Because I will be away from Hong Kong for most of the second half of November, if you wish to see me about your editorials and papers or anything else, please try to do so over the next few days. I will be in my office (622D Meng Wah) tomorrow (Saturday, 10 November) from 10 am-11.30 am and from 3.30 pm-5.30 pm. I will also be there most of Tuesday, 13 November.
Please note that I will be away from Hong Kong from the afternoon of 14 November to the evening of 27 November and again from the morning of 30 November to the morning of 6 December. You may of course contact me by e-mail while I am traveling and I will try to respond as quickly as possible.
Please note that I will be away from Hong Kong from the afternoon of 14 November to the evening of 27 November and again from the morning of 30 November to the morning of 6 December. You may of course contact me by e-mail while I am traveling and I will try to respond as quickly as possible.
David Tang on Censorship in Hong Kong
In the International Herald Tribune today, tycoon David Tang, founder of the China Club and Shanghai Tang, has a piece on censorship in Hong Kong which may be of interest to you.
2007-11-08
Olympic-Size Controversy: Martin Lee Chu-ming on U.S.-China Relations
You've heard about the controversy - now read Martin Lee's opinion piece in 17 October 2007 edition of The Wall Street Journal. He does not call for a boycott, though some of his critics have said he did or that he supports one. He writes:
"It is my hope that the Games could have a catalytic effect on the domestic and foreign policies of the Chinese government, and that the Chinese people will remember the Games long after they are held -- not merely for medals won, but also because they were a turning point for human rights and the rule of law in China. That would be something worth cheering."What do you think? All comments welcome!
2007-11-07
Next Week: HSBC and the IMF
Next week, we have two guests:
9:30 am - 10:30 am
Teresa Au, Head of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability, Asia Pacific Region, at HSBC
10:30 am - 11:30 am
Dr Olaf Unteroberdoerster, Resident Representative, International Monetary Fund (IMF)
To fit both speakers in, we will have to start promptly at 9.30 am so please try to come on time. In class today, I did not get to complete my short talk on corporate social responsibility (CSR). I have uploaded my lecture ppt file to the WebCT site, but over the next few days, I will post here some thoughts on CSR to help you prepare for Ms Au's presentation.
I mentioned today that when he comes to class next week Dr Unteroberdoerster will have just completed the "Article IV" review of Hong Kong. I suggest that before the next class you have a look at Article IV of the Articles of Agreement of the International Monetary Fund and the 2006 Article IV consultation report on Hong Kong.
9:30 am - 10:30 am
Teresa Au, Head of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability, Asia Pacific Region, at HSBC
10:30 am - 11:30 am
Dr Olaf Unteroberdoerster, Resident Representative, International Monetary Fund (IMF)
To fit both speakers in, we will have to start promptly at 9.30 am so please try to come on time. In class today, I did not get to complete my short talk on corporate social responsibility (CSR). I have uploaded my lecture ppt file to the WebCT site, but over the next few days, I will post here some thoughts on CSR to help you prepare for Ms Au's presentation.
I mentioned today that when he comes to class next week Dr Unteroberdoerster will have just completed the "Article IV" review of Hong Kong. I suggest that before the next class you have a look at Article IV of the Articles of Agreement of the International Monetary Fund and the 2006 Article IV consultation report on Hong Kong.
Ronnie Chan's 1999 Article on His Concerns about Hong Kong
During class today, Ronnie Chan referred to an article he wrote in Newsweek International (6 September 1999 issue) after the controversy over Cyberport. At that time, the government signed the project development deal with PCCW, the telecoms company run by Richard Li Tzar-kai, without initiating an open tender for the property. This was viewed by many in the business sector, particularly other real estate developers, as favouritism. You can read Mr Chan's article here.
REPOSTING: Optional Extra Lecture - Review Session and Wrap-Up
I will offer an exam review session for POLI0019 students on Friday afternoon, 7 December, from 2 pm-4 pm in Theatre 5, Meng Wah Complex. I will spend about 30-40 minutes summarizing key points from the lectures and readings and then take questions for as long as there are any. Attendance is voluntary. POLI0068 students who aren't sick of hearing me talk and are interested in coming would be welcome, of course - so long as you have already submitted your papers which will be due that day!
As noted earlier, the POLI0019 exam is on Friday, 14 December, 9.30 am-11.30 am, at the Lindsay Ride Sports Centre.
As noted earlier, the POLI0019 exam is on Friday, 14 December, 9.30 am-11.30 am, at the Lindsay Ride Sports Centre.
REPOSTING: POLI0019 Debates Format
Here's information on the format of the POLI0019 tutorial debates.
REPOSTING: POLI0019 Debates Resolutions
Here are the two resolutions that the POLI0019 sections will debate:
1. RESOLVED: Hong Kong's status as a special administrative region of China is an impediment to its truly becoming a global city.
2. RESOLVED: Hong Kong depends too much on China and should focus more on education and cultural development in the SAR to boost its competitiveness and secure its status as a global city.
1. RESOLVED: Hong Kong's status as a special administrative region of China is an impediment to its truly becoming a global city.
2. RESOLVED: Hong Kong depends too much on China and should focus more on education and cultural development in the SAR to boost its competitiveness and secure its status as a global city.
2007-11-06
POLI0068 IBGM Tutorial on 14 November
As it is already clear to me that we won't be able to get through all the paper proposal presentations tomorrow, I'm afraid I will have to reinstate the tutorial meeting on 14 November to be sure everybody is able to participate. We need to have a good number of presentations done tomorrow. So far - Tuesday, 6 November, 9 pm - I have yet to receive any paper outline. This worries me somewhat, to be honest, as this is just an outline of your proposed topic, not the paper itself. An outline should be doable in less than a couple of hours!....one afternoon tops, I would reckon.
In any case, please note in your diaries that POLI0068 IBGM students will meet for tutorial on 14 November. As previously announced, there will be no tutorials on 14 November for POLI0019 students. They will have tutorials on 21 November, when the first round of the debates will take place.
In any case, please note in your diaries that POLI0068 IBGM students will meet for tutorial on 14 November. As previously announced, there will be no tutorials on 14 November for POLI0019 students. They will have tutorials on 21 November, when the first round of the debates will take place.
Hong Kong: Creative City?
The folks at the Bauhinia Foundation Research Centre, a new local think tank (one of their directors sat in on our sessions with Xu Sitao and Regina Ip last week), sent me their latest policy paper "Hong Kong: A Creative Metropolis", which they submitted to the government. I posted it on the WebCT course site (filename: CreativeSubmissionPaper). You can also access the paper and other research by the Centre here. This latest study looks at how to "establish creativity as a major force in transforming Hong Kong's cultural and socio-economic landscape." This might be of interest to students writing papers on related topics or those preparing for the POLI0019 tutorial debates later this month.
POLI0068 Paper Proposals
A reminder to my IBGM friends that we will start having paper proposal presentations at tomorrow's tutorial - just 3-5 minutes to explain the topic that you or you and your partner will be writing on, followed by a brief discussion. Please e-mail me the short outlines (as described in the syllabus and on the class blog posting) before class if you can. I would like to have as many of you as possible make presentations tomorrow so we don't have to take additional time on 14 November.
For Kosovo, What About the Hong Kong Model?
This is an interesting item in today's news: In Serbia, government leaders have proposed that the Hong Kong SAR arrangement might be a model for granting autonomy to Kosovo, a predominantly ethnic Albanian enclave of two million people that is seeking its independence from Belgrade. The Kosovars have rejected the idea.
2007-11-05
The China Model: What If....?
Check out this thought-provoking essay on China's development by Howard French of the New York Times, which appeared in the International Herald Tribune last Friday.
More on This Week's Speaker: Ronnie Chan
Just a reminder that I have posted a selection of Mr Chan's articles and speeches in a folder in the WebCT course site (I cannot link them here because they are pdfs, which are not supported by Google Documents). Please try to read some of them before class if you can. You might also watch a clip of Mr Chan talking about doing business in China during a session at the Committee of 100 annual conference in New York earlier this year.
2007-11-04
Question of the Week: The Role of Business
We heard from Emily Lau that very few business leaders in Hong Kong have openly come out in support of Anson Chan in the current by-election campaign. This indicates that the business sector does not support democratic political development in the SAR. Question: Should business be more supportive of democratic reforms? Are business leaders wrong to think that more rapid political development in Hong Kong would not be in their interest? Is the business sector too dominant in Hong Kong?
What do you think?
BTW, we're currently at about 80 comments, which is about a third of our goal. There is only about a month to go in the semester. Again, don't feel restricted to the questions I have posted here. If you have any original comment you would like to make, please e-mail it to me and I can post it.
What do you think?
BTW, we're currently at about 80 comments, which is about a third of our goal. There is only about a month to go in the semester. Again, don't feel restricted to the questions I have posted here. If you have any original comment you would like to make, please e-mail it to me and I can post it.
2007-11-03
Reminder: Deadlines
Just a reminder of paper deadlines:
POLI0019 editorials: Friday, 23 November (not 16 November)
POLI0068 papers: Friday, 7 December
Hard copies of papers should be deposited at the Politics and Public Administration Department office, Meng Wah 622, by the close of business on those days.
POLI0019 editorials: Friday, 23 November (not 16 November)
POLI0068 papers: Friday, 7 December
Hard copies of papers should be deposited at the Politics and Public Administration Department office, Meng Wah 622, by the close of business on those days.
2007-10-31
Next Week: A Business Perspective
A number of our speakers have spoken - sometimes positively, sometimes negatively - about the role and influence of business in Hong Kong. Next week, on 7 November, we have a great opportunity to hear from one of Hong Kong's leading business figures: Ronnie Chan Chi-chung (left, in center, with fellow Enron board members), Chairman of Hang Lung Group, a major real estate development company. One of the most engaging and dynamic businesspeople in Hong Kong, Mr Chan also serves as Vice Chairman of the Asia Society and Chairman of the Asia Society Hong Kong Center. He was formerly a director of Standard Chartered Bank, Motorola and Enron, where he was on the board's audit committee. I have posted a selection of Mr Chan's articles and speeches in a folder in the WebCT course site. If you can, please read some of them before class.[NOTE: Photo changed and text/links revised on 10 December 2007 in the interest of full disclosure and transparency. For some reason, official biographies of Mr Ronnie Chan fail to mention his previous service on the board of Enron, which is an important aspect of his background.]
Regina Ip on English in Hong Kong Schools
I know that the topic of mother-tongue instruction is of great interest to many of you. You might be interested in this paper on language of instruction that Mrs Ip has posted on the Savantas Policy Institute website.
2007-10-29
Update on Readings
I have uploaded a number of readings on to the WebCT site. Please check it out.
Also, I have put on reserve at the PPA Department the following two books produced by Civic Exchange:
Still Holding our Breath: A Review of Air Quality Policy in Hong Kong 1997-2007
Reflections of Leadership: Tung Chee Hwa and Donald Tsang, 1997-2007
Also, I have put on reserve at the PPA Department the following two books produced by Civic Exchange:
Still Holding our Breath: A Review of Air Quality Policy in Hong Kong 1997-2007
Reflections of Leadership: Tung Chee Hwa and Donald Tsang, 1997-2007
2007-10-27
Legal Bloggers on Hong Kong
This might be of interest to you, particularly the Law and Government & Law students. Dan Harris, a partner at Harris & Moure, a boutique international law firm in Seattle, and his Mandarin-speaking colleague Steve Dickinson, who is based in Shanghai, run the China Law Blog. A few days ago Mr Harris posted a comment on Hong Kong (which included a link to our class blog!) and his impressions of the SAR. I found his account of how his firm's work in Hong Kong has diminished very interesting:
"There was a time where we fairly frequently helped our clients (mostly non-American clients) form companies in Hong Kong, but that work started dropping off around three years ago. Now when clients talk about wanting to form a Hong Kong company to go into mainland China we tell them doing so will in most cases do little more than increase their costs. Rarely does it make sense to do anything other than to just go into China directly by forming a company there."Mr Harris includes a number of interesting links in his post. About 30 of his readers have commented on his observations. It makes for an interesting exchange - what the blog format is supposed to encourage. Check it out.
Advice and Information
I wish to make clear that the postings I have made in the past few days are meant to provide information and respond to what I understood to be questions about choosing a topic for the writing assignments, how to prepare for the exam, how the debates will be conducted, and so forth. Besides the granting of additional time for writing the editorial, the slight change in the tutorial schedule for November, and the setting of the debate resolutions, they do not add anything particularly new in terms of course policy or guidelines. There were questions so I have tried to answer them, reiterating many things I said early in the semester. Much of the advice I have given, quite frankly, are points of common sense that I did not think I would need to make, but I do so to help as much as I can.
If you have any questions or complaints, please take them up with me. I am happy to listen and make myself available.
If you have any questions or complaints, please take them up with me. I am happy to listen and make myself available.
2007-10-26
Question of the Week: Does Hong Kong Need to Develop Politically to Truly Be an International City?
Here's a question I put to Emily Lau (not in exactly the same way): As Hong Kong aims to be an international city, does its political development matter? Why should the SAR's Chief Executive and legislators being directly elected make a difference as Hong Kong develops its role in the world? Is it more important for Hong Kong not to create friction with the mainland by moving on political development at a pace unacceptable to Beijing?
What do you think?
What do you think?
POLI0019 Debates
Mr Wong will discuss and organize the debates in tutorial meetings on 31 October, but we thought we should outline here how they will work.
- There will be two rounds: on 21 November and 28 November.
- On 31 October, Mr Wong will divide each section into four teams of three. (The 10-student section will have two teams of three and two teams of two.) He will assign the resolutions to be debated.
- On 21 November, in each section, two teams will debate the first resolution. The order of speakers will alternate between teams. The second and third speakers on either team may choose to rebut points made by earlier speakers, but need not do so. The best speakers will be those that follow a clear and logical line of argument and do not read verbatim from a prepared text but work from notes or off the cuff. After each speaker has taken his turn, the remaining members of the tutorial section will react to what they heard and offer constructive criticism (perhaps in the style of the judges on "American Idol"?). At the end of the tutorial, the judges will vote on which side presented the better arguments. In the case of a tie, the tutor will decide if a winner should be declared or the tie should stand. Whether or not you are on the winning side will have no bearing on your assessment for the debate. What will matter is how well prepared your team is and how well you made your arguments.
- On 28 November, the roles will switch and the previous week's judges become the debaters, while the debaters turn into judges. The debating teams will take up a second resolution.
POLI0068: Calling for Paper Proposals
If any team or individual is ready to make their paper proposal presentations in our next tutorial on Wednesday, 31 October, please let me know and I will put you on the schedule. All you would need to do is submit your proposal to me before class - ideally the day before - so I can post it. You or your team would have about five minutes to explain your topic. We would then take a few minutes to discuss your plans.
I would like as many students or teams as possible to make their presentations in tutorial on 7 November since I don't plan to have a formal tutorial on 14 November. (Instead, you may join me and Dr Unteroberdoerster of the IMF at an informal lunch after the lecture on that day.) If we can't get through everybody on 7 November, we may have to schedule a special tutorial on 14 November or some other mutually agreed date and time. The last resort would be to finish the presentations in tutorial on 28 November, but I would prefer to have the presentations done sooner than that.
I would like as many students or teams as possible to make their presentations in tutorial on 7 November since I don't plan to have a formal tutorial on 14 November. (Instead, you may join me and Dr Unteroberdoerster of the IMF at an informal lunch after the lecture on that day.) If we can't get through everybody on 7 November, we may have to schedule a special tutorial on 14 November or some other mutually agreed date and time. The last resort would be to finish the presentations in tutorial on 28 November, but I would prefer to have the presentations done sooner than that.
POLI0068 Papers
Lest the IBGM students think I've forgotten them, here is a rundown on your research paper assignment, which is due by the end of business on Friday, 7 December. A hard copy should be deposited at the PPA Department office (Meng Wah, Room 622). Please take note of the late paper and plagiarims policies.
As noted in the syllabus, you are working in teams of two unless you prefer to work on your own. If you are working with a partner, the paper should be between 3,000 and 4,000 words. If you are going solo, then the length should be between 1,500 and 2,000 words.
I have asked for teams or individuals to submit a paper proposal (outline format, 12 pt. font, double spaced, one-inch margins). What I would like to do is post these proposals online with links to the course blog. This will, I hope, allow you to exchange ideas among your colleagues and perhaps gain from other people's insights. The proposal should include (1) a thesis statement (a summary of the central argument of your paper) and (2) a general outline (a plan for how you will organize background information, arguments, refutation of counter-arguments, and conclusions to support your thesis), and (3) a bibliography of at least five sources.
Once you are ready with your proposal, just send it to me by e-mail and I can post it. I will then give you or your team five minutes or so to present your proposal in tutorial.
I realize that we need to get moving on the paper proposal presentations. I should have moved forward on this sooner. If anybody is prepared to make their presentation on Wednesday, 31 October, please let me know and I will schedule it. It would be great if two or three of you could do so. I would like as many of you as possible to give your presentation in tutorial on 7 November. It might be possible to do all or nearly all of them. The remainder will have to do so at a special voluntary tutorial perhaps in the afternoon of 14 November (or some other mutually arranged date and time) or in tutorial on 28 November. I would rather not have anybody wait until 28 November as that will be quite close to the due date. The main reason for the presentations is to allow for some constructive exchange of ideas that will help you with your writing.
What makes a good topic? You should select an issue relating to Hong Kong's role in the world. As with the POLI0019 editorials, the key is not to choose anything that is too broad, though with 3,000-plus words to play with, you have much more space than in an opinion piece. The paper should seek to answer a particular question or set of questions. This is a research paper so it should be organized as such, with a clear thesis, a line of argument, key points made in a systematic way, refutation of counter-arguments, and a conclusion that may suggest topics or ideas for further research. The paper should be properly annotated, i.e. sources should be noted, and include a bibliography. Please note the policy on online sources as described in the syllabus.
As always, please aim to write as best you can with correct grammar and spelling. But I am fully aware that not everybody's English is to native standard.
If you would like to discuss your topic or any other aspect of this assignment with me, please don't hesitate to arrange an appointment.
As noted in the syllabus, you are working in teams of two unless you prefer to work on your own. If you are working with a partner, the paper should be between 3,000 and 4,000 words. If you are going solo, then the length should be between 1,500 and 2,000 words.
I have asked for teams or individuals to submit a paper proposal (outline format, 12 pt. font, double spaced, one-inch margins). What I would like to do is post these proposals online with links to the course blog. This will, I hope, allow you to exchange ideas among your colleagues and perhaps gain from other people's insights. The proposal should include (1) a thesis statement (a summary of the central argument of your paper) and (2) a general outline (a plan for how you will organize background information, arguments, refutation of counter-arguments, and conclusions to support your thesis), and (3) a bibliography of at least five sources.
Once you are ready with your proposal, just send it to me by e-mail and I can post it. I will then give you or your team five minutes or so to present your proposal in tutorial.
I realize that we need to get moving on the paper proposal presentations. I should have moved forward on this sooner. If anybody is prepared to make their presentation on Wednesday, 31 October, please let me know and I will schedule it. It would be great if two or three of you could do so. I would like as many of you as possible to give your presentation in tutorial on 7 November. It might be possible to do all or nearly all of them. The remainder will have to do so at a special voluntary tutorial perhaps in the afternoon of 14 November (or some other mutually arranged date and time) or in tutorial on 28 November. I would rather not have anybody wait until 28 November as that will be quite close to the due date. The main reason for the presentations is to allow for some constructive exchange of ideas that will help you with your writing.
What makes a good topic? You should select an issue relating to Hong Kong's role in the world. As with the POLI0019 editorials, the key is not to choose anything that is too broad, though with 3,000-plus words to play with, you have much more space than in an opinion piece. The paper should seek to answer a particular question or set of questions. This is a research paper so it should be organized as such, with a clear thesis, a line of argument, key points made in a systematic way, refutation of counter-arguments, and a conclusion that may suggest topics or ideas for further research. The paper should be properly annotated, i.e. sources should be noted, and include a bibliography. Please note the policy on online sources as described in the syllabus.
As always, please aim to write as best you can with correct grammar and spelling. But I am fully aware that not everybody's English is to native standard.
If you would like to discuss your topic or any other aspect of this assignment with me, please don't hesitate to arrange an appointment.
2007-10-25
Global Citizenship and Industrial Relations in Asia
These University events to promote global citizenship may be of interest to you. You might also be interested in this lecture on industrial relations in Asia.
Looking Forward: Lecture Schedule
I thought I would review the remaining lecture schedule:
31 October
Xu Sitao, Chief China Representative, The Economist Group, and former chief economist, ICBC Asia (from 9.30 am)
Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, Founder and Chairperson, Savantas Policy Institute, and former secretary of security, HKSARG (from 10.15 am)
7 November
Ronnie Chan Chi-chung, Chairman, Hang Lung Group
My lecture will focus on corporate social responsibility and sustainable development.
14 November
Teresa Au, Head of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability, Asia Pacific Region, HSBC (from 9.30 am)
Dr Olaf Unteroberdoerster, Resident Representative in the HKSAR, International Monetary Fund (from 10.30 am - he will stay for an informal voluntary discussion session with IBGM students over lunch)
Dr Unteroberdoerster will brief us on the recently concluded IMF review of Hong Kong.
21 November
No lecture
28 November
Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, Chairman, Next Media
I will give a final wrap-up lecture for the semester.
31 October
Xu Sitao, Chief China Representative, The Economist Group, and former chief economist, ICBC Asia (from 9.30 am)
Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, Founder and Chairperson, Savantas Policy Institute, and former secretary of security, HKSARG (from 10.15 am)
7 November
Ronnie Chan Chi-chung, Chairman, Hang Lung Group
My lecture will focus on corporate social responsibility and sustainable development.
14 November
Teresa Au, Head of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability, Asia Pacific Region, HSBC (from 9.30 am)
Dr Olaf Unteroberdoerster, Resident Representative in the HKSAR, International Monetary Fund (from 10.30 am - he will stay for an informal voluntary discussion session with IBGM students over lunch)
Dr Unteroberdoerster will brief us on the recently concluded IMF review of Hong Kong.
21 November
No lecture
28 November
Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, Chairman, Next Media
I will give a final wrap-up lecture for the semester.
Next Week: Two Guests
As I mentioned in class yesterday, we have two very interesting guests next week. Both could only make it on 31 October.Xu Sitao, Chief Representative in China, The Economist Group, and former chief economist for ICBC Asia, the investment banking arm of China's biggest state bank
Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, (right), Founder and Chairperson, Savantas Policy Institute, and the former secretary of security of the HKSARG
Mr Xu will start at 9.30 am. Mrs Ip will arrive after 10 am and we will start the session with her around 10.15 am. Please try to come on time if you can.
I was keen to have a guest who could give a mainland Chinese perspective on Hong Kong. Mr Xu kindly agreed to stop in Hong Kong on his way to Taiwan specifically so he could join our class.
Mrs Ip needs no introduction. To continue from what we talked about with Emily Lau, she will discuss the dynamics of Hong Kong's relationship with the mainland. She will also talk about her experience in government, particularly in handling the trade and security portfolios. Finally, as the head of a recently established policy think tank, she will give her views on the role of civil society in Hong Kong.
POLI0019 Exam
I am in the process of setting the exam paper for POLI0019 students so I have been giving more thought to how it will proceed. As I mentioned in class yesterday, the Examinations Secretary has set the exam period for Friday, 14 December, from 9.30 am to 11.30 am. The venue is the Lindsay Ride Sports Centre. I know that a couple of students asked if the date could be changed. I looked into this and, unfortunately, this is NOT possible. I'm sorry - the Examinations Secretary is allowing no changes.
What I propose to do is have a fairly simple exam - two or three essay questions not unlike the Questions of the Week that have been posed on the course blog. The questions will be fairly broad in scope. A good essay in response will make reference to what the guest speakers told us during the semester, to any other recognized authorities, and to any of the assigned readings or other material that you may have read. You can also draw from your own experience.
What is important is to provide a clear line of argument with three or four key points that address the question. You should bolster these points with examples, facts and other information. Be as economical as you can. You should make your best effort to write with correct grammar and spelling, but I fully understand that not everyone can write English to a native standard.
I propose to have a review session during the exam period - perhaps on Monday, 10 December - if there is demand.
I should note that POLI0068 students will not need to sit an exam.
What I propose to do is have a fairly simple exam - two or three essay questions not unlike the Questions of the Week that have been posed on the course blog. The questions will be fairly broad in scope. A good essay in response will make reference to what the guest speakers told us during the semester, to any other recognized authorities, and to any of the assigned readings or other material that you may have read. You can also draw from your own experience.
What is important is to provide a clear line of argument with three or four key points that address the question. You should bolster these points with examples, facts and other information. Be as economical as you can. You should make your best effort to write with correct grammar and spelling, but I fully understand that not everyone can write English to a native standard.
I propose to have a review session during the exam period - perhaps on Monday, 10 December - if there is demand.
I should note that POLI0068 students will not need to sit an exam.
POLI0019 Editorials
Again on Mr Wong's good advice, I thought I would write about what makes a good editorial topic. But first, I should announce that we will push back the deadline for the POLI0019 editorials to give you more time to do them. Instead of Friday, 16 November, they will be due on Friday, 23 November, with hard copies delivered to the PPA Department office by the close of business that day. Please see the syllabus for some guidelines. There will be a penalty for late assignments (1/3 a grade per day); an assignment turned in more than three days after the due date will not be accepted.
Even though you have more time for this assignment, I would advise you not to leave it to the last minute, particularly since you will have the debates and the exam for which to prepare. The tutorial-free afternoon on 14 November would be a good time to catch up with any work.
As for selecting a topic, this is very much your choice. If you are working with a partner, you must of course choose a topic together. As I mentioned, I am happy to have those who wish to work alone to do so, but the required length of the article (about 800 words) will remain the same. I strongly recommend that you settle on a topic by the end of the first week of November.
What makes a good topic? The idea is to discuss some aspect of Hong Kong's role in the world. First and foremost, it should be something that interests you. Because the editorial is only about 800 words - 1,000 maximum, you should really choose a topic that can be easily dealt with in an essay of that length. Decide on a question that you want to consider or answer - or one, two or three points that you wish to make. Do not pick anything to broad. Try to narrow your topic, without getting too "micro" in your perspective. For example, it may be more manageable to write a piece arguing that "the direct election of the Chief Executive of Hong Kong cannot be delayed until 2012 because that would be a blow to the SAR's international standing" than it would be to take up the sweeping proposition that "democracy is good for Hong Kong."
Pick a topic that is timely, particularly if you would like to get it published. For example, it might be more interesting to write about the coming Beijing Olympics and the opportunity that this affords for Hong Kong than it would be to write something about the tenth anniversary of the handover.
When it comes to writing the piece, keep it simple. Structure your piece so that it has an introduction that grabs the reader's attention, a topic paragraph up front that tells the reader what it is that you want to say, and then subsequent paragraphs that make your points systematically. Make the paragraphs flow logically from one to the other. Remember that 800 words can go by rather quickly. Buttress your points with any relevant facts or figures. Quote certain authorities if necessary, but this is NOT an academic paper; it is an opinion piece for publication in a newspaper. Finally, stick to a clear line of argument.
I suggest that, if you have not already done so, you might read some of the opinion-page pieces in the South China Morning Post. That would be the best way to get an idea of what good (and perhaps some bad) editorial pieces are like.
As I have mentioned before, you should make your best effort to write with correct grammar and spelling, but I fully appreciate that not everybody's English is to native standard. And of course please take note of the university's policy on plagiarism. I still intend to submit the best of the essays to the South China Morning Post or another publication so this could be a good opportunity for budding writers and journalists.
If you would like to discuss your topic or any aspect of this assignment, please feel free to approach me or Mr Wong. We would be happy to arrange an appointment.
Even though you have more time for this assignment, I would advise you not to leave it to the last minute, particularly since you will have the debates and the exam for which to prepare. The tutorial-free afternoon on 14 November would be a good time to catch up with any work.
As for selecting a topic, this is very much your choice. If you are working with a partner, you must of course choose a topic together. As I mentioned, I am happy to have those who wish to work alone to do so, but the required length of the article (about 800 words) will remain the same. I strongly recommend that you settle on a topic by the end of the first week of November.
What makes a good topic? The idea is to discuss some aspect of Hong Kong's role in the world. First and foremost, it should be something that interests you. Because the editorial is only about 800 words - 1,000 maximum, you should really choose a topic that can be easily dealt with in an essay of that length. Decide on a question that you want to consider or answer - or one, two or three points that you wish to make. Do not pick anything to broad. Try to narrow your topic, without getting too "micro" in your perspective. For example, it may be more manageable to write a piece arguing that "the direct election of the Chief Executive of Hong Kong cannot be delayed until 2012 because that would be a blow to the SAR's international standing" than it would be to take up the sweeping proposition that "democracy is good for Hong Kong."
Pick a topic that is timely, particularly if you would like to get it published. For example, it might be more interesting to write about the coming Beijing Olympics and the opportunity that this affords for Hong Kong than it would be to write something about the tenth anniversary of the handover.
When it comes to writing the piece, keep it simple. Structure your piece so that it has an introduction that grabs the reader's attention, a topic paragraph up front that tells the reader what it is that you want to say, and then subsequent paragraphs that make your points systematically. Make the paragraphs flow logically from one to the other. Remember that 800 words can go by rather quickly. Buttress your points with any relevant facts or figures. Quote certain authorities if necessary, but this is NOT an academic paper; it is an opinion piece for publication in a newspaper. Finally, stick to a clear line of argument.
I suggest that, if you have not already done so, you might read some of the opinion-page pieces in the South China Morning Post. That would be the best way to get an idea of what good (and perhaps some bad) editorial pieces are like.
As I have mentioned before, you should make your best effort to write with correct grammar and spelling, but I fully appreciate that not everybody's English is to native standard. And of course please take note of the university's policy on plagiarism. I still intend to submit the best of the essays to the South China Morning Post or another publication so this could be a good opportunity for budding writers and journalists.
If you would like to discuss your topic or any aspect of this assignment, please feel free to approach me or Mr Wong. We would be happy to arrange an appointment.
Tutorials: Looking Ahead
After my big goof this week in forgetting that I had cancelled tutorials, Mr Wong and I reviewed the syllabus. This is the tutorial schedule going forward. It is essentially the same as in the syllabus, with key changes starred.
31 October: Tutorials as scheduled
7 November: Tutorials as scheduled
14 November: ***POLI0068 tutorial*** (no POLI0019 tutorials)
21 November: ***POLI0019 tutorial*** (first round of debates)
28 November: Tutorials as scheduled (second round of POLI0019 tutorial debates)
5 December: ***No tutorials***
As you know, I was not aware that Reading Week meant that many students would be away. In retrospect, I should not have had a make-up class and tutorials that week. I was also not aware until yesterday that by 5 December, the exam period will have already started. For that reason, I will not have any lecture or tutorials on 5 December. I would like to have an open review session before the 14 December exam - perhaps on Monday, 10 December? We can talk about that.
To accommodate the POLI0019 tutorial debates and to give enough time to conduct them, Mr Wong and I thought it would be better for him to start them on 21 November, with half of each tutorial section participating in the debate and the other half listening and then critiquing the discussion. On 28 November, the other half of each class will debate and the others will take the role of the judges. Please note that on 21 November there will be no lecture and no POLI0068 IBGM tutorial.
I will post something on the debates and on the POLI0019 and POLI0068 writing assignments soon.
31 October: Tutorials as scheduled
7 November: Tutorials as scheduled
14 November: ***POLI0068 tutorial*** (no POLI0019 tutorials)
21 November: ***POLI0019 tutorial*** (first round of debates)
28 November: Tutorials as scheduled (second round of POLI0019 tutorial debates)
5 December: ***No tutorials***
As you know, I was not aware that Reading Week meant that many students would be away. In retrospect, I should not have had a make-up class and tutorials that week. I was also not aware until yesterday that by 5 December, the exam period will have already started. For that reason, I will not have any lecture or tutorials on 5 December. I would like to have an open review session before the 14 December exam - perhaps on Monday, 10 December? We can talk about that.
To accommodate the POLI0019 tutorial debates and to give enough time to conduct them, Mr Wong and I thought it would be better for him to start them on 21 November, with half of each tutorial section participating in the debate and the other half listening and then critiquing the discussion. On 28 November, the other half of each class will debate and the others will take the role of the judges. Please note that on 21 November there will be no lecture and no POLI0068 IBGM tutorial.
I will post something on the debates and on the POLI0019 and POLI0068 writing assignments soon.
Our Thinking Behind the Tutorials
On the very good advice of Mr Wong, I thought I would take some time to explain our thinking behind the tutorials. I did so at the beginning of the semester, but should probably have done so again after the course shopping period.
Because of my own experience with the American and British education systems, I view the tutorials as an opportunity for students to speak their mind. Of course, I would love to have comments and questions at any time during the lecture, particularly when we have guest speakers. But the tutorials are for you (I can go on a bit, I know). When I took an introductory Economics course as a freshman in the U.S. 26 years ago, we had over a thousand students in the course. During the lecture, the professor spoke and we listened. It was in our "section" meetings of about 15-20 stude nts that we really learned the material through free-for-all discussions of the lectures and the readings.
Later, I had a chance to experience the British tutorial system. I will never forget one of my first tutorial sessions - it was with Joseph Raz, a bearded legal philosopher and scholar of jurisprudence who was quite intimidating. I had done the week's reading and was sitting in an armchair in his study, reading my paper to him. After about ten minutes, he interrupted me, looked me deep in the eyes and said: "That's all very well, but what do you really think!" It was then that I appreciated the value of the tutorial system. It was not meant to rehash what you had heard in lectures or read in books; the tutorial was the time to shape your own thoughts and ideas and defend your own opinions, using what information you had gathered. And it was a time to learn from the exchange of ideas between student and teacher, between students.
This is why we are trying to encourage free-flowing discussion in tutorials, rather than make them too structured. It is perhaps more difficult to do so when there are a dozen or two dozen students in class, but it can be done, and we appreciate your participation so far. Speaking for myself, I have found the IBGM sessions to be quite lively and interesting. I have learned a lot.
So that's the thinking behind the tutorials and what might be viewed as a "less-than-systematic" approach.
Because of my own experience with the American and British education systems, I view the tutorials as an opportunity for students to speak their mind. Of course, I would love to have comments and questions at any time during the lecture, particularly when we have guest speakers. But the tutorials are for you (I can go on a bit, I know). When I took an introductory Economics course as a freshman in the U.S. 26 years ago, we had over a thousand students in the course. During the lecture, the professor spoke and we listened. It was in our "section" meetings of about 15-20 stude nts that we really learned the material through free-for-all discussions of the lectures and the readings.
Later, I had a chance to experience the British tutorial system. I will never forget one of my first tutorial sessions - it was with Joseph Raz, a bearded legal philosopher and scholar of jurisprudence who was quite intimidating. I had done the week's reading and was sitting in an armchair in his study, reading my paper to him. After about ten minutes, he interrupted me, looked me deep in the eyes and said: "That's all very well, but what do you really think!" It was then that I appreciated the value of the tutorial system. It was not meant to rehash what you had heard in lectures or read in books; the tutorial was the time to shape your own thoughts and ideas and defend your own opinions, using what information you had gathered. And it was a time to learn from the exchange of ideas between student and teacher, between students.
This is why we are trying to encourage free-flowing discussion in tutorials, rather than make them too structured. It is perhaps more difficult to do so when there are a dozen or two dozen students in class, but it can be done, and we appreciate your participation so far. Speaking for myself, I have found the IBGM sessions to be quite lively and interesting. I have learned a lot.
So that's the thinking behind the tutorials and what might be viewed as a "less-than-systematic" approach.
Tutorial Schedule and the Exam
THERE WILL BE TUTORIALS NEXT WEEK, WEDNESDAY, 31 OCTOBER.
Mr Wong and I have reviewed the schedule for the remainder of the semester and are making some adjustments. I am preparing to post some announcements on these changes so please check the blog.
On the exam date: A couple of students approached me yesterday regarding the date of the exam for POLI0019 students. The Examinations Secretary of the University set the time and date of the exam for Friday, 14 December, 9.30 am - 11.30 am. I am told that this date and time cannot be changed, I am afraid.
Mr Wong and I have reviewed the schedule for the remainder of the semester and are making some adjustments. I am preparing to post some announcements on these changes so please check the blog.
On the exam date: A couple of students approached me yesterday regarding the date of the exam for POLI0019 students. The Examinations Secretary of the University set the time and date of the exam for Friday, 14 December, 9.30 am - 11.30 am. I am told that this date and time cannot be changed, I am afraid.
After Emily
Two students have posted very interesting comments on yesterday's discussion with Emily Lau so I thought I would link them here and open a separate thread, as the original thread is not linked to a posting that relates to any specific issue and could be overlooked. Please contribute. Again, don't feel you have to write anything long; it's the ideas and your participation that are important.
2007-10-24
Lecture Six Summary
Those who were unable to attend last week's Reading Week lecture may be interested in a summary of the session on the role of the media which I have just posted. I have uploaded the ppt presentationf for Lecture Six on to the WebCT site, along with all the other lecture slides.
ONE SEAT STILL AVAILABLE: Asia Society Lunch - 2 November
As of Thursday, 25 October, at 3.30 pm, I have one seat available for the 2 November lunch discussion on the Asian financial crisis. Please email me if you would like to attend. Thanks.
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The Asia Society Hong Kong Center is again kindly offering us complimentary seats to the following event:
2 November (Friday), 12 noon reception, 12.30 pm lunch, closes at 2.30 pm
J.W. Marriott Hotel
Panel Discussion on "The Asian Financial Crisis: Ten Years On"
with Michael Spencer, Chief Economist, Deutsche Bank; Stephen Schwartz, Senior Representative in Indonesia for the International Monetary Fund; Jim Walker, Chief Economist, CLSA; moderated by Mark Clifford, Executive Director, Asia Business Council
Let me know if you would like to attend.
-----
The Asia Society Hong Kong Center is again kindly offering us complimentary seats to the following event:
2 November (Friday), 12 noon reception, 12.30 pm lunch, closes at 2.30 pm
J.W. Marriott Hotel
Panel Discussion on "The Asian Financial Crisis: Ten Years On"
with Michael Spencer, Chief Economist, Deutsche Bank; Stephen Schwartz, Senior Representative in Indonesia for the International Monetary Fund; Jim Walker, Chief Economist, CLSA; moderated by Mark Clifford, Executive Director, Asia Business Council
Let me know if you would like to attend.
Update on Readings - Newly Uploaded
I mentioned today an article by Prof. Robert D. Putnam of Harvard University - "Diplomacy and Domestic Politics: The Logic of Two-Level Games". It appeared in the journal International Organization, in 1988 (Vol. 42, No. 3, Summer 1988). In this article, Prof. Putnam describes his two-game model for understanding the dynamics between domestic politics and international relations. I used this to develop the "three-level game" model for Hong Kong. If you would like to read Prof. Putnam's article, I have posted it on the WebCT site, along with the ppt file for today's lecture (Lecture Seven).
For those of you who wish to read two articles with differing views on political development in Hong Kong, I would recommend the latest issue of the journal Global Asia, which features essays by Anson Chan Fang On-sang, the former chief secretary of Hong Kong, and Jasper Tsang Yok-sing, the founder and former chairman of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong (DAB), a political party, to whom Emily Lau referred this morning. Tsang Yok-sing is also on the Executive and Legislative Councils. I have put Anson Chan's essay "Democracy in Hong Kong: What's Wrong With Now" and Tsang Yok-sing's article "Mature Enough For Democracy, And Sensible Too" on reserve at the Politics and Public Administration Department, Meng Wah Room 622. The Managing Editor of Global Asia, I should note, is David Plott, an Associate Professor and the Deputy Director of the Journalism and Media Studies Centre at the University of Hong Kong.
I have also put on reserve at the PPA Department Emily Lau's book which she gave to me this morning.
For those of you who wish to read two articles with differing views on political development in Hong Kong, I would recommend the latest issue of the journal Global Asia, which features essays by Anson Chan Fang On-sang, the former chief secretary of Hong Kong, and Jasper Tsang Yok-sing, the founder and former chairman of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong (DAB), a political party, to whom Emily Lau referred this morning. Tsang Yok-sing is also on the Executive and Legislative Councils. I have put Anson Chan's essay "Democracy in Hong Kong: What's Wrong With Now" and Tsang Yok-sing's article "Mature Enough For Democracy, And Sensible Too" on reserve at the Politics and Public Administration Department, Meng Wah Room 622. The Managing Editor of Global Asia, I should note, is David Plott, an Associate Professor and the Deputy Director of the Journalism and Media Studies Centre at the University of Hong Kong.
I have also put on reserve at the PPA Department Emily Lau's book which she gave to me this morning.
2007-10-18
A Critical View of the CE's Policy Address
Here is veteran journalist Philip Bowring's take on the Chief Executive's Policy Address from the Asia Sentinel website. Bowring, a longtime Hong Kong resident and the former editor of the Far Eastern Economic Review, argues that Donald Tsang "made no significant steps to address the two most evident local problems, pollution and the income gap. Indeed, other measures he announced could make them worse." He goes on:
"As for initiatives to enhance Hong Kong’s role as an international centre they were thin on the ground. Years after Islamic finance became significant and long after London and other non-Islamic centers had rules governing it, Hong Kong’s myopic bureaucrats have just discovered it.Fair criticism? What do you think?
Indeed, Tsang seems to have almost abandoned the idea that Hong Kong should be an international city on its own account. Eager now to pander to Beijing as he once pandered to his colonial masters and to the Pope, he now urges Hong Kong to see its future in terms of capitalizing on the strength of the motherland as though there were not a vast number of businesses, particularly in the high value added services, which owe little or nothing to dealings with the mainland.
In short the Policy Address makes depressing reading for those hoping to see Hong Kong modernize its thinking and its leadership, and reduce the collusion between government and big business at the expense of the community. This is neither a blueprint for the 'harmonious society' goal of President Hu nor a city in the forefront of the world."
2007-10-17
Recap: Lecture Six - Hong Kong and the Role of the Media
We had quite a few people away on Reading Week activities, so I thought I would provide a more detailed summary of our discussion. As usual, I have posted on the WebCT site the Powerpoint file for today's lecture.
These were the salient points from today's class:
- The globalization of media has been manifested in the growth of global media organizations and the proliferation of content due to the emergence of new channels of delivery, particularly the Internet.
- In the 1980s-90s, Hong Kong became a key playing field for global media groups such as Time Warner and Dow Jones that entered the market with an eye to establishing a foothold in the Asian market.
- But even as media has globalized, there has also been a surge in regional or local alternatives such as StarTV which had mixed results with its English-language programming but had huge success with its Hindi broadcasts.
- Key point: Even as globalization has led to the emergence of a more global consciousness among media consumers and the penetration of Asian markets by global media groups, there has also been a parallel rise in regional and local options that cater to people who want content in their own language or framed with a regional or local perspective. Hong Kong is no exception. So while consumers have clamored for "global content" such as English football or CNN International, they have also snapped up new, vibrant local products such as Apple Daily.
- Our two guests, Zoher Abdoolcarim, Senior Editor of Time Asia, and Liu Kin-ming, Director of Special Projects at Hong Kong Economic Journal, discussed how Hong Kong's news media has changed since the handover. Kin-ming noted that the different news outlets in Hong Kong cater to the tastes and perspectives of their readers or viewers. English-language publications often cover topics and developments that receive little attention from Chinese-language publications, and vice versa.
- Referring to the "Death of Hong Kong" cover story that Fortune Magazine ran in 1995, Zoher noted that the title was meant to be provocative but that the article itself was more nuanced and argued that Hong Kong was in for a big change in 1997; it was not really as dire as the title might have led the reader to believe. But that said, there were genuine fears among Hong Kong people about the future of the city and many citizens who could do so were getting foreign passports in case anything went wrong. The worries were certainly fueled by the events of 4 June 1989 and the crushing of pro-democracy demonstrations in Beijing. This certainly colored foreign perspectives of Hong Kong's post-1997 future and of course raised concerns among local people.
- Kin-ming said that during the initial period after the handover, the media in Hong Kong was feeling its way, wondering what the situation would be. This might have meant that some media were holding back, but once they found that nothing had really changed, then they continued as before. Clearly, self-censorship does happen, but this is not something that happened after the handover but was practiced beforehand, under the British, only there were different interests involved. As for the foreign media, there is little, if anything, that a publication like Time wouldn't cover if its editors thought it would be of interest to readers. But foreign media are not interested in the minutiae of developments in Hong Kong and China, looking instead at more big-picture issues and stories. Zoher noted that Time Asia's special on the tenth anniversary of the handover did not run in the Time U.S. domestic edition. There was never any thought that it would do so. There is just no interest in such a story among editors in New York.
- One test case might be the coverage of the Dalai Lama's public meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush. In any of Hong Kong's newsrooms, are there editors who would want to bury such a story in the back pages instead of putting an article and/or photo on the front page? Kin-ming reckoned that certain newspapers in Hong Kong would minimize the story and even take a critical editorial view. But it is not unusual even in Western developed countries for the media to have a political slant or bias. British newspapers, for example, are renowned for leaning a particular way.
- Zoher stressed that the evolution of media in Hong Kong should be seen against the backdrop of great change in China and in the perception of China. This is not the China of 1979 or 1989. There has been great progress in the mainland. In addition, the Chinese media itself has changed. While there are still much stricter limits on the news media than there are in Hong Kong, Chinese reporters are able to do much more than before. Kin-ming noted that Chinese journalists are highly skilled at working the system, doing as much as they can without over-stepping bounds. Many are fully aware of what it takes to be an excellent journalist, but they must work within the limits.
- Both guests remarked on the proliferation of media in Hong Kong - the wider choice, the increase in the channels of delivery, and the easier access to global products. One recent phenomenon has been the rise in tabloid reporting, which some media critics have regarded as a form of self-censorship in that reporting on celebrities avoids having to delve into serious or sensitive issues. Zoher underscored that one should not take an elitist view - that there is room for both serious reporting and reporting on pop culture. Consumers want both. What is important is that, with the proliferation of choice, we as consumers of media should become more discriminating. We should judge for ourselves what sources of information are reliable and worthy of trust - and which ones aren't.
- There was some discussion about the situation in Singapore, which paradoxically has succeeded in attracting some media groups to set up regional headquarters in the city, though it has a reputation for placing limits, either direct or indirect, on both local and foreign journalists. A reason for Singapore's success in attracting companies like Reuters to set up major operations in the city is that the government has provided incentives and the technological infrastructure to suppot these enterprises. They do not worry about what is broadcast from Singapore and are only concerned about what coverage of Singapore is distributed locally. Business and economic news is generally not a problem; they are more vigilant with reporting on local political and social issues. There have been many instances of Singapore leaders suing journalists for libel.
- The media plays a vital role in Hong Kong as a check on vested interests and the excesses of political and business leaders, a mirror to society and a mirror of society, and a source of information and entertainment. The media in Hong Kong has globalized just as Hong Kong has globalized. The question is whether the media, particularly the press, can remain free and vibrant, despite the pressures that may exist that somehow fuel self-censorship and could make Hong Kong less attractive not only to investors but to its citizens.
Reporters Without Borders: Worldwide Press Freedom Index
Coincidentally, the Paris-based group Reporters Without Borders has just released its Worldwide Press Freedom Index for 2007. Hong Kong is ranked No. 61, right alongside Madagascar and just below Kosovo and ahead of Kuwait. A low ranking, I should note, does not necessarily mean that journalists are not free to report what they want, but may be an indication of the conditions in which reporters work and the threats they face. So for example, the Philippines, where the media can be quite active and vocal, comes in at No. 128, I would surmise, because some reporters there have been killed in the line of duty. The bottom-ranked countries are North Korea (No. 168) and Eritrea (No. 169). Once again, those cold countries in the North do well: Iceland and Norway (tied at No. 1), Estonia and Slovakia (joint No. 3), and Belgium, Finland and Sweden (all three at No. 5).
Next Week: A Journalist and Politician
Following on from today's discussion on the media, next week we will have as our guest former journalist Emily Lau Wai-hing, who is now a directly elected member of the Legislative Council and one of the founders of the political group The Frontier. Given her background, we will use as the starting point of the class exactly where we left off today: the state of freedom of the press in Hong Kong. I have asked Ms Lau to give her views on Hong Kong since the handover, focusing on political and social developments and the SAR's interaction with the mainland. She is never one to hold back so it should be very interesting, perhaps even provocative. You might wish to look through her website to learn about her background and policy positions.Please note that due to her commitments at Legco, we will begin the session with Ms Lau at 9.30 am and will end around 10.45 am. After a break, we will go on until 11.30 am, as usual.
2007-10-16
Reposting: So Many Questions...
Here are links to all the Questions of the Week to make it easy for you to post your reactions:
- What makes Hong Kong competitive?
- How does Hong Kong's being an SAR of the PRC affect its ability to conduct its external relations?
- Does Hong Kong have culture? Does Hong Kong have a culture?
- What is the impact of mother-tongue instruction in schools on Hong Kong's competitiveness?
- Does Hong Kong have a role to play as a bridge between the U.S. and China? Should Hong Kong be China's advocate to the rest of the world to promote better understanding of China and its policies?
2007-10-15
Hong Kong and the Role of the Media
I hope that, although it is Reading Week, as many of you as possible will be able to make it to our lecture on Wednesday. As you know, our topic will be the media - the coverage of Hong Kong in the local, mainland and foreign media, as well as the role of the media in the SAR. We will have two great guests:
- Zoher Abdoolcarim, Senior Editor at Time Asia and my former colleague at Asiaweek
- Liu Kin-ming, Director of Special Projects at the Hong Kong Economic Journal, a blogger on PostGlobal, and former opinion page editor and general manager of the Chinese-language newspaper Apple Daily
Seminar: Media and Politics
One of your colleagues kindly brought to my attention this Journalism and Media Studies Centre seminar on "Politics in a Media Society", which will take place on Wednesday, 17 October. Coincidentally, the topic will complement what we will be discussing in our class the same day. I'm not familiar with Prof. Donsbach's work, but I expect that the discussion should be very interesting.
2007-10-14
The 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China
China's Communist Party is convening its 17th National Congress starting tomorrow. Held every five years, the party congress is the most important political event in China and is the time when pivotal leadership and policy changes are made. Hong Kong delegates will be attending the meeting this week. No shift in policy on the SAR is expected. You may be interested in this Reuters article on Hong Kong's political development and this story from yesterday's South China Morning Post (NB: access to scmp.com is limited).
Forum on the Chief Executive's Policy Address
For those of you who are free on Monday afternoon, 15 October, from 1 pm to 2.15 pm, you may be interested in a forum on the Chief Executive's Policy Address which has been organized by the Department of Social Work and Social Administration. Christine Loh Kung-wai, founder and CEO of the think tank Civic Exchange, will be on the panel. She always has something interesting to say.
2007-10-11
Class Next Week
Just a reminder that we do have class next week (17 October) because I have to make up for cancelling the lecture on 21 November (sorry, I erred earlier: the cancelled class is 21 November; we do have class on 28 November). We will focus on the media - media perceptions of Hong Kong and the role of the media in the SAR. We will also have tutorials as usual. I'm sorry for the inconvenience. Of course, if you are unable to make it due to prior Reading Week plans, travel, or any other reason, that's fine. But I hope you can attend.
The Chief Executive's Policy Address: "We have to see Hong Kong from the perspective of our country's future"
As you know, Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen delivered his policy address yesterday. You may wish to read the entire speech for yourself.
Pertinent to our discussion of Hong Kong's role in the world is paragraph 126:
If you have any reactions to the CE's policy address, feel free to share them.
Pertinent to our discussion of Hong Kong's role in the world is paragraph 126:
"To free ourselves from doubt and confusion, we have to see Hong Kong from the perspective of our country's future. Only in doing so will we be able to cultivate the right niche for ourselves in our own nation. Over the past three decades, we have contributed substantially to our country's economic growth. Hong Kong's businessmen were the earliest investors in the Mainland when our country began to reform and open up. Our professionals followed suit and headed north to embark on new ventures. In the coming decade, Hong Kong will remain a balanced, pluralistic, stable and advanced city. We play by the rules of a free market while stressing corporate social responsibility. We embrace modern values while upholding the core values of the traditional Chinese family. We promote democratic development without compromising social stability or government efficiency. We pursue economic growth, and care about environmental protection and cultural conservation. We cherish the personal freedom of individuals and pluralism, and we have a shared sense of national identity. Ours is a Chinese city, as well as a global city. Hong Kong will continue to serve the country in our unique way. We will also lay an even more solid foundation to maintain our own long-term prosperity, stability and development."Here, the CE gets at the nub of what we have been looking at so far this semester. As Hong Kong pursues its various roles - as a an international financial and business center, a frontline actor in the global fight against infectious diseases, a regional leader in setting rule of law and governance standards, an advocate for China to the rest of the world, and a bridge between China and the U.S. - the SAR's confidence and success in meeting these various international goals and responsibilities is really predicated on its ability to find "the right niche for ourselves in our own nation." To establish its position in the world, Hong Kong has to carve out an appropriate and meaningful place for itself in China's growth and development. The question is: what is that "right niche"?
If you have any reactions to the CE's policy address, feel free to share them.
2007-10-09
A Word About Posting - and the Final Exam
We have had excellent comments posted; thank you for contributing. Please keep it up.
For those still holding back, don't feel that you have to write anything very long. You don't need to have a lengthy, finely crafted exposition, just make your point or points - 100 or 200 words will do. By all means, however, if you have a lot to say, then that's fine too. As I have mentioned, I would like everybody to contribute at least three times during the semester. More frequent contribution will help in your assessment in this part of the course, but quality is certainly more important.
My ulterior motive, I should note, is to get you primed for the final exam (at least those of you who have to take one). The final will likely consist of two or three fairly general questions, requiring replies in the form of a short essay of a few hundred words each, not unlike the comments you are posting on the blog. Posting on the blog is therefore good practice for the exam. I'm hoping that you will combine references to what you have heard in lectures with what you have read to provide focused and well thought out answers.
When posting on the blog or when taking the final, don't be too concerned about the correctness of your English, though you should try to write as clearly as you can and with your best effort at grammar and spelling. What counts more are the arguments - and your critical thinking about what you have heard, what you have read and what you already know.
For those still holding back, don't feel that you have to write anything very long. You don't need to have a lengthy, finely crafted exposition, just make your point or points - 100 or 200 words will do. By all means, however, if you have a lot to say, then that's fine too. As I have mentioned, I would like everybody to contribute at least three times during the semester. More frequent contribution will help in your assessment in this part of the course, but quality is certainly more important.
My ulterior motive, I should note, is to get you primed for the final exam (at least those of you who have to take one). The final will likely consist of two or three fairly general questions, requiring replies in the form of a short essay of a few hundred words each, not unlike the comments you are posting on the blog. Posting on the blog is therefore good practice for the exam. I'm hoping that you will combine references to what you have heard in lectures with what you have read to provide focused and well thought out answers.
When posting on the blog or when taking the final, don't be too concerned about the correctness of your English, though you should try to write as clearly as you can and with your best effort at grammar and spelling. What counts more are the arguments - and your critical thinking about what you have heard, what you have read and what you already know.
2007-10-08
(Yet Another) Question of the Week: Does Hong Kong Have a Role in Fostering Good Relations Between the U.S. and China?
As a lead-in to Wednesday's class and the discussion with Jack Maisano, I thought I would post one more Question of the Week: Does Hong Kong have a role to play as a bridge between the U.S. and China? More generally, should Hong Kong play the role of advocate for China to the rest of the world to improve the understanding of China and its policies? If so, is this a role that Hong Kong has a responsibility to play?
You might recall that, over the years, many members of the Hong Kong community, including several pro-democracy politicians, worked hard to lobby American legislators and policymakers to support the granting of "most-favored nation" (MFN) trading status (later referred to as permanent "normal trade relations", or NTR) to China and then to agree to China's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), which finally happened at the end of 2001. Look at this speech entitled "Facts Versus Frictions: A Role for Hong Kong in the Sino-U.S. Economic Relationship", which was delivered by Vincent Cheng, Chairman of the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp., at HKU nearly two years ago. Note that he specifically limits his discussion to "the Sino-U.S. economic relationship".
You might recall that, over the years, many members of the Hong Kong community, including several pro-democracy politicians, worked hard to lobby American legislators and policymakers to support the granting of "most-favored nation" (MFN) trading status (later referred to as permanent "normal trade relations", or NTR) to China and then to agree to China's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), which finally happened at the end of 2001. Look at this speech entitled "Facts Versus Frictions: A Role for Hong Kong in the Sino-U.S. Economic Relationship", which was delivered by Vincent Cheng, Chairman of the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp., at HKU nearly two years ago. Note that he specifically limits his discussion to "the Sino-U.S. economic relationship".
(Another) Question of the Week: What is the Impact of Mother-Tongue Instruction in Hong Kong Schools?
Inspired by some of the comments that have been posted, I thought I would pose another Question of the Week: What is the impact of mother-tongue instruction on Hong Kong's overall competitiveness? Should Hong Kong shift back to favor English in schools?
What do you think?
Take a look at this article on the shortage of places at international schools and this summary of the controversy over the use of Cantonese in schools. You might also look at this overview of the issue in the "Hong Kong Stories" section of the website of the University of Hong Kong's Journalism and Media Studies Centre.
What do you think?
Take a look at this article on the shortage of places at international schools and this summary of the controversy over the use of Cantonese in schools. You might also look at this overview of the issue in the "Hong Kong Stories" section of the website of the University of Hong Kong's Journalism and Media Studies Centre.
2007-10-07
American Perspectives on Hong Kong
On Wednesday, as you know, our guest will be Jack Maisano, the President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong. In advance of the class, you may want to read this speech that Jack delivered in Los Angeles in 2006. I expect that we will again be discussing the environment, particularly since AmCham recently published its second annual Environment Survey. The study found, not surprisingly, that air pollution has become a factor in recruiting professionals to come to live and work in Hong Kong. Here is a press release summarizing the results of the report.
I have uploaded to the WebCT site a pdf of the U.S. Congressional Research Service (CRS) report on Hong Kong since the handover, which was published in June. It provides quite a good summary of the key issues of the past ten years and offers a bipartisan U.S. perspective on American relations with Hong Kong. The study is intended for an American audience. You can find here a summary of the report and a link to download it directly.
I have uploaded to the WebCT site a pdf of the U.S. Congressional Research Service (CRS) report on Hong Kong since the handover, which was published in June. It provides quite a good summary of the key issues of the past ten years and offers a bipartisan U.S. perspective on American relations with Hong Kong. The study is intended for an American audience. You can find here a summary of the report and a link to download it directly.
2007-10-05
Hong Kong - the Greenest Asian City?
I just came across this new ranking of green cities and found it interesting and surprising that Hong Kong is the best performing in Asia at 18th, ahead of Tokyo (20th), Singapore (45th!) and Kuala Lumpur (49th). (This is another list that is topped by the Nordic nations - Stockholm is No. 1, while Oslo is second.) Mike Rowse and his colleagues at InvestHK should be happy about this. You might also like to check out the country rankings.
2007-10-04
Question of the Week: Does Hong Kong Have a (Cultural) Life?
My normal inclination is to choose a Question of the Week that would lead into the following week's lecture topic. But during the POLI0068 IBGM tutorial yesterday, we had such a lively discussion about what Daniel Fung said about Hong Kong's cultural life that I thought it would be fun to put this topic on the table.
Many of the IBGM students felt Daniel Fung had been unfair when he said that, after showing visitors around, there is "diddly-squat" to do in this town once you have had a nice Chinese meal. Others believed he was somewhat elitist by using the lack of a Borders bookshop (a large American chain of bookstores) here as an indication that Hong Kong's cultural life is limited. Some took exception to the observation that young people typically do little else than hang out, go shopping and play video games. We also discussed whether the government should be involved in promoting international cultural activities and attractions - or should the focus be on local Chinese culture. Daniel Fung challenged the notion that Hong Kong is "Asia's World City", at least in terms of culture. If Hong Kong isn't, then should we aspire to be?
So the questions I would pose are the following: Is there a Hong Kong culture? Are we lacking the cultural life that we should have to be a truly international city? Do we need to be a global cultural hub to be a globally competitive and cosmopolitan city? Are we too absorbed by doing business and making money? And should the government be doing more to promote culture - ditch "positive non-interventionism" and adopt an ambitious and aggressive culture policy?
Let's hear your views.
To spur your thinking, you might like to read this article by writer and former Taipei culture chief Lung Ying-tai, who is currently a visiting professor at the Journalism and Media Studies Centre at HKU. This is an unofficial English translation from the original Chinese.
You may also still comment on earlier Questions of the Week - on whether being an SAR of the PRC affects Hong Kong's ability to develop its international relations, and on Hong Kong's competitiveness. Speaking of competitiveness, you might be interested in this comment by one of your colleagues who compared what Mike Rowse told us last week with what we heard from Daniel Fung. Agree - or disagree? Why not reply to this or any other comments? A free-for-all exchange - that's what this blog should be.
Feel free to comment on anything on this blog. And if you wish to initiate a topic, just email me your comment and I can post it.
Many of the IBGM students felt Daniel Fung had been unfair when he said that, after showing visitors around, there is "diddly-squat" to do in this town once you have had a nice Chinese meal. Others believed he was somewhat elitist by using the lack of a Borders bookshop (a large American chain of bookstores) here as an indication that Hong Kong's cultural life is limited. Some took exception to the observation that young people typically do little else than hang out, go shopping and play video games. We also discussed whether the government should be involved in promoting international cultural activities and attractions - or should the focus be on local Chinese culture. Daniel Fung challenged the notion that Hong Kong is "Asia's World City", at least in terms of culture. If Hong Kong isn't, then should we aspire to be?
So the questions I would pose are the following: Is there a Hong Kong culture? Are we lacking the cultural life that we should have to be a truly international city? Do we need to be a global cultural hub to be a globally competitive and cosmopolitan city? Are we too absorbed by doing business and making money? And should the government be doing more to promote culture - ditch "positive non-interventionism" and adopt an ambitious and aggressive culture policy?
Let's hear your views.
To spur your thinking, you might like to read this article by writer and former Taipei culture chief Lung Ying-tai, who is currently a visiting professor at the Journalism and Media Studies Centre at HKU. This is an unofficial English translation from the original Chinese.
You may also still comment on earlier Questions of the Week - on whether being an SAR of the PRC affects Hong Kong's ability to develop its international relations, and on Hong Kong's competitiveness. Speaking of competitiveness, you might be interested in this comment by one of your colleagues who compared what Mike Rowse told us last week with what we heard from Daniel Fung. Agree - or disagree? Why not reply to this or any other comments? A free-for-all exchange - that's what this blog should be.
Feel free to comment on anything on this blog. And if you wish to initiate a topic, just email me your comment and I can post it.
Summary: Daniel Fung on the Rule of Law and Hong Kong's Competitiveness
- The rule of law is important but it is only one aspect of Hong Kong’s competitiveness
- The basis of the legal systems of Hong Kong and the mainland differ: common law (British) vs civil law (top-down approach, continental)
- Where Hong Kong has failed is in education, culture and the environment Education:
Cantonese as the language of instruction will diminish Hong Kong's cosmopolitan outlook
There is resistance to academic programs that emphasize critical thinking over rote learning
Too much emphasis on producing lawyers and investment bankers
Culture:
Lack of variety of options and opportunities
Where are the big bookshops and good movies?
Young people just want to hang out and play video games
Environment:
Hong Kong investment in factories in southern China is responsible for a great deal of the problem
We cannot wait for others to resolve the problem
- The moon cake problem: What happens when the mainland is able to make moon cakes of the same quality as HK's
- HK-Shenzhen - Lifting of the border may happen soon. But we still drive on different sides of the road? ie how can there be a merger if the bases of our legal systems differ so fundamentally?
The CE's Policy Address
The Chief Executive of the HKSARG will deliver his policy address for 2007-8 on 10 October. Watch for him to talk about many of the issues we have been discussing. Christine Loh and her colleagues at the think tank Civic Exchange have produced their "alternative policy address", which you might find interesting.
2007-10-03
More Uploaded Readings
I uploaded to the WebCT site the reports on Hong Kong by the U.K. Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council. I also put on reserve in the PPA Department office Yash Ghai's article on Hong Kong's autonomy that appeared in the June 2007 issue of The Asia Pacific Journal of Public Administration. When a reading is available online, I have provided a link to it. For any readings that are not available on WebCT or on reserve, please look for them through the MyLibrary service of the HKU Portal or go to the Library.
For next week, in addition to the readings on the syllabus, you might want to look at this recent speech by U.S. Consul General James Cunningham at a luncheon organized by the Better Hong Kong Foundation. He gives an American perspective on Hong Kong ten years after the handover.
For next week, in addition to the readings on the syllabus, you might want to look at this recent speech by U.S. Consul General James Cunningham at a luncheon organized by the Better Hong Kong Foundation. He gives an American perspective on Hong Kong ten years after the handover.
2007-09-29
Update on Readings
I uploaded to WebCT more of the digital files of readings that were retrieved from the WebCT site of the previous course.
Please note that for the book by Prof. Yash Ghai, the citation on the syllabus was incorrect. The title is Hong Kong's New Constitutional Order. I'm sorry for any confusion caused. This book IS available online through the MyLibrary resources of the HKU Portal. Access the EBooks electronic resources database and search by title. For other readings, please check the Library. I will try to put more readings on reserve at the Department. If you encounter any other citation errors, please let me know.
BTW, you might be interested in some books recently published by Civic Exchange, the policy think tank. They deal with constitutional development, political leadership, and the environment, and should be useful.
Please note that for the book by Prof. Yash Ghai, the citation on the syllabus was incorrect. The title is Hong Kong's New Constitutional Order. I'm sorry for any confusion caused. This book IS available online through the MyLibrary resources of the HKU Portal. Access the EBooks electronic resources database and search by title. For other readings, please check the Library. I will try to put more readings on reserve at the Department. If you encounter any other citation errors, please let me know.
BTW, you might be interested in some books recently published by Civic Exchange, the policy think tank. They deal with constitutional development, political leadership, and the environment, and should be useful.
U.S.-Hong Kong Relations: A Business Perspective
Looking forward, our guest speaker on 10 October will be my former colleague Jack Maisano, who is now the President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong. Jack will talk about Hong Kong's relations with the U.S. and how investors, particularly American companies, view Hong Kong today. Jack's background is in publishing so he might also have something to say about the role of the media. After hearing from Mike Rowse, it should be interesting to listen to a representative of the investor community - the people InvestHK is courting - offer his views on Hong Kong's competitiveness and business outlook.
2007-09-28
The ICAC - Fighting Corruption
Believe it or not, in the 1960s and '70s, corruption was a big problem in Hong Kong. But the territory under the British did something about it. In 1974, the government set up the Independent Commission Against Corruption, which still exists today and is one of Hong Kong's main bulwarks against graft and corruption in the public and private sectors. On Wednesday, Daniel Fung will certainly be talking about the ICAC so I suggest you check out its website and the quick online presentation that outlines how the organization got started. The ICAC has become a model for other anti-corruption agencies in Asia and around the world because of its success at home.You might be interested in Transparency International's latest Corruption Perception Index, which was released on Wednesday. Hong Kong ranks 14th, one position better than last year. Top of the ranking both this year and last, ie the countries perceived to be the least corrupt: Finland, Iceland and New Zealand.
Lurking on the "Blogospheric" Sidelines?
Nehru said: "The policy of being too cautious is the greatest risk of all." Step forward and share your thoughts on anything on this blog, including the Questions of the Week - on Hong Kong's competitiveness and the impact of its constitution.
Want to see examples of very active blogs? Check out Rebecca MacKinnon's blog (she's the former CNN Beijing bureau chief who is now an assistant professor at the Journalism and Media Studies Centre here at the University of Hong Kong), blogs available through GlobalVoices (a good source for what bloggers are saying right now about what's going on in Myanmar), and blogs linked to huffingtonpost.com (one of the more popular political blog aggregators in the U.S.). Perhaps you will be inspired to come out from the shadows and contribute!
Want to see examples of very active blogs? Check out Rebecca MacKinnon's blog (she's the former CNN Beijing bureau chief who is now an assistant professor at the Journalism and Media Studies Centre here at the University of Hong Kong), blogs available through GlobalVoices (a good source for what bloggers are saying right now about what's going on in Myanmar), and blogs linked to huffingtonpost.com (one of the more popular political blog aggregators in the U.S.). Perhaps you will be inspired to come out from the shadows and contribute!
Further on the Question of the Week
I amended my original posting of the Question of the Week to add a link to this article by Prof. James Tang, which is a summary of a talk he gave in 2000 to the Hong Kong Democratic Foundation. Read this for a discussion of many of the central issues relating to the question I posed.
2007-09-26
The Basics
While Mike Rowse was talking last week about Deng Xiaoping and his legendary indifference to the color of mice, I realized that I may have assumed that you are all well acquainted with Hong Kong's history and such terms as "The Basic Law" and "one country, two systems." But maybe not? For those who want to know the issues and what it was like around the time of the handover in 1997 when Hong Kong reverted to Chinese sovereignty, you might want to read some of the news stories from around that time and some of the articles written during the 10th anniversary in July. They should give you the basic background. I included the following readings for later in the semester, but you might find it useful to read these sooner:-
“Hong Kong: The Long March”, in Time Magazine, Asia edition, Vol. 169, No. 23, 18 June 2007, http://www.time.com/time/magazine/asia/0,9263,501070618,00.html
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“The Death and Life of Hong Kong: Eating Crow” in globophobe.blogspot.com, http://globophobe.blogspot.com/2007/07/death-and-life-of-hong-kong-eating-crow.html (follow links to the two Fortune Magazine articles – “The Death of Hong Kong” by Louis Kraar and “Oops! Hong Kong is Hardly Dead” by Sheridan Prasso)
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Asiaweek Magazine, Hong Kong Handover special issues, 20 June and 11 July 1997. Follow links at http://globophobe.blogspot.com/2007/07/handover-hangover-what-were-we-doing.html
For those who want to read about how the Hong Kong government works and recent political reforms, you should read this paper which was produced by the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs in the U.S. and Civic Exchange, a think tank in Hong Kong.
If you would like to watch clips of the handover ceremonies ten years ago, you can view these on YouTube. First, the British farewell and then the handover ceremony itself.
The Rule of Law - and the Question of the Week: How Does Being an SAR of the PRC Affect Hong Kong's Ability to Conduct its International Relations?
By the time of our next class, I will have been to the mainland twice since our last meeting. I was in Beijing last week to give a lecture to about 60 executives and government officials from Africa on a mid-career program at the University of Pretoria in South Africa. They were at the beginning of a study tour of China. Tomorrow, I will be in Shanghai to give a similar talk to a group of MBA students from the same university. I find it fascinating to meet people who are seeing China and what it has achieved for the first time. They are usually amazed by what they experience, particularly if they visit the big cities such as Beijing or Shanghai.I also find it curious that, for many of these first-time visitors, Hong Kong is of limited interest. They want to know about China. To be sure, whenever I travel to the mainland, I am well reminded that Hong Kong is but a sideshow to the really big spectacular. But sitting here in this bustling city (and certainly after listening to a rousing presentation by that investment evangelist Mike Rowse), it is easy to think of Hong Kong as the main attraction.
Hong Kong of course is still one of the best places in the world in which to do business and it remains China's premier international financial center. Take a look at the "Doing Business 2008" report recently released by the World Bank. The study includes a ranking of economies according to how easy it is to do business. Singapore comes in at No. 1, followed by New Zealand and the United States. Hong Kong is fourth, while China is No. 83. What I find interesting is that if you look at the different sub-categories, Hong Kong ranks first when it comes to "enforcing contracts". This suggests something that I have long believed - that the key to Hong Kong's success really is the rule of law. I would argue that there is no other economy in East Asia with as reliable, efficient and honest a legal system as Hong Kong.
Now what does the rule of law have to do with Hong Kong's international relations? A lot. Because investors have a great deal of confidence in our legal system, they are willing to put their money here, to sign contracts here, to settle disputes in our courts, and to live here. We have kept to a minimum the inefficiency and wastage that can result from corruption and poor public governance. The rule of law has allowed Hong Kong to build up the legal infrastructure necessary to support its role as an international financial center and hub for business.
Daniel Fung will be able to tell us more about the uniqueness of Hong Kong's legal system, which I think goes to the heart of the concept of "one country, two systems". It's not just about communism and capitalism co-existing; it's also about two very different legal systems co-existing in the same sovereign entity. It is also about two different, separated societies that nonetheless are part of the same culture and share traditions, language and common history.
This brings me to the Question of the Week: How does Hong Kong's being a special administrative region (SAR) of China affect its ability to conduct its international relations? I guess what I would like you to think about is how Hong Kong's constitution affects its position in the world and its ability to interact with the rest of the world.
Now, I'm not just talking about the simple fact that Hong Kong is not an independent nation and so we cannot be a member of the United Nations. That much is obvious. But as an SAR of China, Hong Kong has to be conscious of its relationship with the mainland - even as it fosters ties abroad. Are we hampered from being fully engaged with the world because we are part of China and not an independent country? Or is it in fact an advantage, particularly since Hong Kong enjoys a high degree of autonomy under Chinese sovereignty and China is a booming economy that is attracting investors from all over the world? What are the implications of closer integration with the mainland, particularly if the divisions between our two systems start to blur? Could the advantages we enjoy because of our separateness - the rule of law, for example - be compromised?
Those are quite a lot of questions. What I would like us to explore are the implications of Hong Kong's constitutional position - both the positive and the negative - for its relations with the rest of the world. Over the coming weeks, we will examine specific issues that will help us understand better the contours of Hong Kong's autonomy and the ways in which the SAR is connected to the international community: the rule of law, the business environment and economy, diplomatic relationships, the media, the political system, the financial system, and the role of corporations and civil society. Our discussions should help us better understand how our domestic situation affects our international relationships.
Any thoughts and comments are welcome. Take a look at this article by Prof. James Tang, which is a summary of remarks he made to the Hong Kong Democratic Foundation in 2000. It might stimulate some ideas for you to consider.
In framing your comments, you might consider the issues Prof. Tang raises, some of what we have already heard from Malik Peiris and Mike Rowse, as well as what you have read. But also bring your own ideas to the table. Don't hold back.
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