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About half of Hongkongers say city and Shenzhen more likely to compete than cooperate, poll finds

  • Chinese University survey also finds about two-thirds of respondents believe Shenzhen cannot replace Hong Kong as a finance hub
  • Nearly a third do not support enhancing cooperation between the two cities, compared to 28 per cent who back the idea

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Shenzhen’s gross domestic product surpassed that of Hong Kong (pictured) in 2018. Photo: Winson Wong
About half of the Hongkongers polled in a survey believed the city and neighbouring Shenzhen were more likely to compete than cooperate, even though Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor has said she would like to see the two cities work as “dual engines” to develop the Greater Bay Area.
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Survey results from Chinese University’s Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies also found about two-thirds of 703 respondents believed Shenzhen had “quite a small chance” or “no chance at all” to replace Hong Kong as an international financial centre.

Some 42 per cent of those polled disagreed that the competitive power of the mainland Chinese city had exceeded that of Hong Kong, while only 26 per cent agreed with the claim.

As Shenzhen’s economy is chasing Hong Kong closely, our relative advantage dwindles
Victor Zheng, Chinese University

Some 31 per cent, meanwhile, did not support enhancing cooperation between the two cities, compared to 28 per cent who backed the idea.

The poll found that 47 per cent of respondents said cooperation between the two cities would be of little help to Hong Kong in the long run, while nearly 10 per cent felt it would not be beneficial at all.

Some 51 per cent of the respondents believed Hong Kong and Shenzhen were more likely to compete with each other, while only 31 per cent thought they were more likely to cooperate.

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The survey was conducted between November 16 and 23, after Lam defined Hong Kong’s role in cooperation with Shenzhen in October.

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