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The following are my comments to CM's blog article "地緣劣勢"http://inhumanresources.blogspot.com/2009/09/blog-post_21.html
If you have any suggestions, please go to CM's blog site and read his article first.
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CM:
While one can focus on HK, or southern China, or even the Shanghai-HK link, I have a feeling that the international competitiveness aspect has not been fully considered. All these infrastructure discussions should be re-examined in the bigger context of how infrastructure investment, be they bus services to/from HK, railway network in Canton, or hub-and-spokes airports across China, will increase a country's competitiveness against other countries with cheaper labour cost, little environmental enforcement, corruptions, etc. And, what are China's present competitive advantages over the other BRIC countries anyway? Is that the reasons why China just announced its "green" plan to rely more on wind- and solar-generated energy in the long-term?
In my humble opinion, I would submit that the entry point for the whole discussion should start with international competitiveness, of which infrastructure is just one of the many possible advantages for consideration.
PS1: I have to admit I did not read all the comments and I apologize if I am repeating what others have already said.
PS2: I recall you are always keen on "mobility". Here you talk abt 交流 (quality over quantity). But do you think decision-makers in mainland China really see, define and put a high value on the kind of "quality" Hong Kong people are so proud of and want to offer? Maybe HK should re-examine what it has to offer in your proposal for more exchange and collaborations with mainlanders.
***** Updated 20091009 *****
Photo Captions:
* The first aerial photo above depicts Lantau Island 大嶼山, the largest of Hong Kong's Islands District 離島區 (there are 18 districts and 236 islands). It is one of the main platforms of HK's transportation infrastructure.
* The second photo provides a glimpse of the Hong Kong's International Airport 香港國際機場 that is located at Chek Lap Kok 赤鱲角 on the north side of the Lantau Island off the shore of Tung Chung 大嶼山東涌以北. HKIA is reported to be the world's 12th busiest airport by passenger traffic.
Photo Credit: Wikipedia
* "大嶼山" Lantau Island (top photo above)
* "香港國際機場" (second photo)
6 comments:
原來地緣劣勢的背後是談論中國貫通北京南京上海的京滬高速鐵路和香港怎樣融入整個中國的高速鐵路系統。
漸漸演變成：高速鐵路（鐵路網）、內陸民航飛機（空運網）、還有長途巴士和私人駕車（公路網），成本和效益的討論。還有，我們需要注意人流和貨運是兩個課題。
我不打算續點去參與，反而想各位參考，日本的模式。日本的鐵路網（包括主要是客運的新幹線）、空運網、 公路網，都比中國早了五十年發展。
有人會說不竟日本地小，怎能和幅原廣闊的中國比，但若撇開不談中國內陸，祇志在聯系由北京起到南京上海，再到廣州深圳香港，沿海的一條由北至南狹長帶，其實是可以借鏡日本經驗。
另外我想單就“地緣劣勢”思考。
當我第一眼見到時，我第一時間是想到中國的日出日落。
中國的幅員廣闊（幅原廣闊？）由最東到最西，跨越幾了個時區，但中國是用單一時間制(北京時間）。這和美國加拿大等先進國家，都有東西幾個時區，那麼為甚麼中國不學人家，時區制對中國有甚麼優劣呢？
中國的北面和西面室內陸，東南面臨海洋，故此祇有東岸和南岸，沒有北岸和西岸，這又是否地緣劣勢呢？
your thoughts are mostly welcome!
SPACE
Thank you, Haricot.
Space, your thoughts have always made me smile. (true and sincere) Love it so much.
Space:
>> ... 其實是可以借鏡日本經驗
Yes and maybe ....
Yes: Japan (and Europe as well) has demonstrated that well-managed transportation systems (esp railways) can become real assets to a country's infrastructure.
Maybe: Unlike Japan, there are a lot more economic migrants in China to overload transportation systems because many rural areas remain under developed and have become the labour pools for big cities and industrial centres. In the context of developing sustainable cities, perhaps the strategy is to upgrade existing and build new transportation systems to cluster industrial centres away from big cities. In another word, move materials to provide employments in rural regions, instead of moving people into cities to overload its limited social and environmental capacities.
Space:
>> ... 時區制對中國有甚麼優劣呢？
Here in Canada, it's tricky to schedule a conference call because of the time zone difference btwn the east and west coasts. For example: The earliest someone in Newfoundland can have a conf call with Vancouver is around 1:30 pm when it is 8 am in Vanc. But then in Canada, most of our major cities are lined up east-west while significant portions of our economic transactions are north-south (with the US). From a social perspective, the concept of time management may vary across regions as well. So, whether having different time zones across China is good/bad will depend very much on many factors such as those I mentioned above.
>> ... 中國 ... 祇有東岸和南岸，沒有北岸和西岸，這又是否地緣劣勢呢？
China is not a land-locked country. That's to me is an advantage. Now, as far as land-based borders are concerned, it's always good to have neighbours who are friendly, helpful and stable.
CM: You are most welcome. I enjoy this kind of exchanges.
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