GBA2 | GBAFOCUS Friday, July 3, 2020 HONG KONG EDITION | CHINA DAILY GBA3 Tourism — together we City leaders confi dent in HK’s can-do spirit overcome and rebuild Experts from business and academia say that despite YOUTH INNOVATION & ENTREPRENEURSHIP FINANCE By HE SHUSI in Hong Kong institutes in the city. unprecedented challenges, the SAR always rebounds. [email protected] Prior to the social unrest that $ broke out in mid-June last year, the $ $ Hong Kong tops global IPO $ $ $ Hong Kong is no stranger to city hosted more than 650 million $ $ $ $ $ market in 2019 $ $ dealing with fi nancial dilemmas. visitors in 2018, topping the world $ $ HK university institutions $ 14% $ $ $ $ $ $ $ IPO funds raised, $ billion It has gone through thick and thin, charts in terms of tourist numbers $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ More applications were recorded in 2020 through in the Bay Area $ $ $ $ $ to any single destination within a $ overcoming crisis after crisis in the $ Funds Location Rank Yiu Si-wing Tech prowess paves the the Scheme for Admission of Hong Kong Students to Existing and planned cross-border facilities past several decades. specifi ed period. Mainland Higher Education Institutions than in 2019 Zhuhai Beijing Normal University-Hong Kong Baptist University 40.1 Hong Kong 1 The coronavirus onslaught has In 2018, tourism accounted for the Legislative Council, hailed the brought much pain to the city’s 4.5 percent of Hong Kong’s gross central government’s unwavering way to a brighter future United International College, founded in 2005 business and social life. Tourism, domestic product, with close to 80 support for the SAR’s tourism sec- Shenzhen The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, 26.9 Shanghai 2 as one of Hong Kong’s pillar indus- percent of the visitors coming from tor, notably the Individual Visit By LUO WEITENG in Hong Kong cooperation, he said. founded in 2012 tries, has had more than its fair the mainland. Scheme and the Mainland and [email protected] In academic collaboration, Wong share of the su¡ ering, already bat- Lo, who’s also a Hong Kong dep- Hong Kong Closer Economic Part- Shenzhen The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, 26.8 Nasdaq 3 noted that many mainland post- 4.5 million yuan tered by a year of social turmoil. uty to the National People’s Con- nership Arrangement, enabling the Hong Kong’s reunification and graduates have come to the SAR in The maximum grant for an eligible project initiated by Hong founded in 2014 But upon the 23rd anniversa- gress — the nation’s top legislature tourism business to make an enor- integration with the motherland has pursuit of their scientifi c endeavors, Wong Yuk-shan Kong or Macao youngsters starting a business in Guangzhou Zhaoqing The Open University of Hong Kong signed the col- 26.7 Saudi Arabia 4 ry of the special administrative — said the steady development of mous contribution to the SAR’s been intertwined with the nation’s helping to cultivate a deep pool of ters, a vast market and large enter- laboration agreements with the Zhaoqing municipal region’s return to the motherland, “one country, two systems” has economic growth in the past 23 technological achievements, and will top-caliber, tech-savvy professionals prises,” said Chan, who also serves industry heavyweights have held ushered in a “golden age” for the years. By the end of 2019, in Guangdong province, there were government and Zhaoqing University to establish 23.3 New York 5 make a magnifi cent story of a bright for the city. as founding president of the World their heads high, convinced that SAR’s tourism industry, driving the Noting that the COVID-19 out- innovation and entrepreneurship incubation cent- tech future, says Hong Kong aca- Hong Kong universities have Electric Vehicles Association and an Over 50 the Open University of Hong Kong (Zhaoqing) in the sector is reassured of a promis- growth of the retail, hospitality, break might continue for a year demic Wong Yuk-shan, and leading also been heading north, setting up honorary professor at the Depart- ers designated for Hong Kong and Macao youth 2020 ing future and will see a spectacu- transport and catering sectors and or two before a vaccine is avail- entrepreneurship teams made up by Hong Kong Homecoming listings of Chinese mainland scientist Chan Ching-chuen. campuses and research centers, par- ment of Electrical and Electronic Guangzhou The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology lar rebound under the successful creating more than 800,000 jobs — able, Yiu hoped the SAR govern- “Since the handover 23 years ago, ticularly in the Guangdong-Hong Engineering of the University of About 600 and Macao youth companies in HKEX implementation of “one country, more than 20 percent of the local ment can promote local travel by Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The Hong Kong. to set up a new campus in Guangzhou. The target is to two systems”. labor force. developing new tourist spots and young entrepreneurs from Hong Kong and Macao have been on the fast track of develop- Chinese University of Hong Kong’s “This speaks volumes about how Over 4,000 commence operation in September 2021 Listed on the NYSE in Sept 2014 The much-awaited national While the protest violence has improving the quality of services. ment in terms of scientifi c research Shenzhen campus was established Hong Kong and the mainland cities security law for the SAR is expected dealt a heavy blow to tourism, Lo He also urged the government to and technological application,” Wong, in 2014. in the Bay Area could draw on each Five HK universities ranked among the world’s top 100 Shenzhen-Hong Kong: be another catalyst for restoring believes the implementation of accelerate implementing a “travel president of the Open University of Wong believes innovation and other’s strengths and jointly develop Alibaba Group Listed on the HKEX in Nov 2019 peace and order, and ensuring a the national security law for Hong bubble” in the Guangdong-Hong Hong Kong, told China Daily. technology will be Hong Kong’s next a knowledge-based economy,” he in the Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings 2020 World’s second-largest stable environment for economic Kong will e¡ ectively help restore Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, “China’s meteoric rise as a tech- growth engine that will help the city stressed. technology cluster in 2019 progress, especially for tourism, peace and order in the city. realizing the free flow of people nology powerhouse is definitely a wean o¡ its years-long over-reliance Wong said a knowledge-based Listed on the Nasdaq in June 2000 they said. Confi dent about the city’s political through mutual recognition of boon for Hong Kong. Technologi- on traditional industries like fi nan- economy will offer a diversity of 1 Tokyo-Yokohama Hong Kong’s tourism business situation in the long run, he stressed health codes in cooperation with cal advancement cannot go with- cial services and real estate. occupations for Hong Kong’s young has been on a roll since the hando- that stability will create a conducive the authorities in the Macao SAR 2 out exchanges and collaboration. In With the aim of creating an inno- people, who mostly go after plum Shenzhen-Hong Kong Listed on the HKEX in June 2020 ver in 1997, especially after 2003 environment for tourism. and Guangdong province. jobs in the well-paid fi nancial ser- Tourism, he believes, can be the past two decades, the mutually vation cluster to rival the likes of the 3 Seoul when tourists from the Chinese However, he said Hong Kong still benefi cial cooperation between the Silicon Valley in the Bay Area, Hong vices, healthcare and legal sectors. mainland were allowed to visit the has a lot to do to rebuild its repu- revived once the pandemic is over, th nd th nd st mainland and the SAR has been a Kong is set to write a new chapter in “This is totally di¡ erent from the 25 32 46 52 91 4 SAR on an individual basis, noted tation as a popular international with Hong Kong’s solid founda- Beijing Listed on the Nasdaq in May 2014 real eye-opener to the city’s tech cir- its development since reunifi cation, past. In the 1950s and 1960s, the The University of The Hong Kong The Chinese City University Hong Kong Lo Sui-on, director and honorary travel destination that has been tion in the industry and its close cle,” said Wong, who is also a Hong he reckoned. best graduates of my generation, Hong Kong University of Science University of of Hong Kong Polytechnic 5 San Jose-San Francisco chairman of China Travel Service tarnished by the unrest. The task of links with the mainland, as well as Kong deputy to the National People’s Deeper bilateral collaboration is with simple and pure love for their and Technology Hong Kong University (Hong Kong) — the fi rst mainland- promoting Hong Kong tourism in neighboring countries and regions. Congress and member of the Hong underway. The Hong Kong Univer- homeland, a sense of duty and a will- Listed on the HKEX in June 2020 run travel agency set up in the SAR the global market and restoring the Timothy Chui Ting-pong, exec- Kong Basic Law Committee. sity of Science and Technology will ingness to serve the country, always and now one of the largest travel city’s hospitality, especially among utive director of the Hong Kong Closer ties with the mainland soon open its campus in Guangzhou, sought to work in the science and mainland travelers, is paramount, Tourism Association and director has enabled Hong Kong people confident of building up a talent technology fi eld,” he recalled.