Dai Qingcheng: Hong Kongs new year opportunity and challenges coexist

As the Chinese bell sounded, the world officially stepped into 2024 in the early morning of Monday (January 1).However, for grass -roots citizens in Hong Kong, the opening of the new year is not necessarily a good start.As in previous years, many people's livelihood -related supplies and services such as clothing, food, housing, and transportation have increased prices in the new year.

Among them, McDonald's in a fast food restaurant announced that the price of all products will be adjusted from January 2. Each product has increased at HK $ 1 (about S $ 0.17), with an average increase of 2.6%.As a leading brand in the Hong Kong catering industry, McDonald's is largely reflected in the background of global consumer prices and food prices. The operating costs of Hong Kong's catering industry are continuously rising.

In fact, the people have apparently felt the pressure of rising prices last year.Taking rice as an example, according to the statistics of the Hong Kong Industrial Trade Agency, rice prices in Hong Kong's entrances last year rose. For example, Thailand's imported price per kilogram last January was only 6.79 yuan, but in November last year, it has risen by about 6.5%.Li Feng, vice chairman of the Hong Kong -nine cans, is estimated that the price of rice will rise by about 5%this year in an interview. The price of other grain, oil and food may also increase by 3%to 5%.

In terms of transportation, the housing committee responsible for managing Hong Kong rental public housing announced earlier that the parking spaces of 194 parking lots have been leased from January 1 this year.The monthly rent of the position plus 120 Hong Kong dollars and HK $ 140, the highest increase of 8%.About 30 % of the citizens in Hong Kong live in renting public houses. This new policy undoubtedly increases the financial burden of some people.

But the most impact on Hong Kong people is the garbage charges that will be implemented on April 1 this year. At that time, each household will buy a designated size plastic bag and label.The monthly garbage expenses of the three or four families are about 30 Hong Kong dollars to HK $ 50.Dozens of Hong Kong dollars do not seem to be much, but it is still a lot of expenditure for some grassroots people.

Faced with the price increase of large and small projects, many Hong Kong people lamented that the burden of life this year has continued to increase.If last year was a year after the Hong Kong epidemic fully recovered, rushed to catch up, and worked hard for the economy, this year was a year for Hong Kong to accelerate the development and actively benefit people's livelihood.

Looking back at 2023, the epidemic is getting far away. Hong Kong embarked on the road of comprehensive recovery, and society and economy showed a good development trend.In particular, the housing problems that have troubled Hong Kong people for many years, the Hong Kong Government has made many major progress in implementing the supply of public housing, including excessive completion of land targets, and about 410,000 public housing units can be built.Citizens living in a bad living environment are expected to move to a more ideal residence as soon as possible.

In addition, Hong Kong has been criticized for a single industrial structure for many years, and its development is weak.Fortunately, in the past year, the Hong Kong Government has vigorously promoted the development of innovation and technology, and achieved certain results in attracting key innovation enterprises, including large international pharmaceutical companies and leading new energy companies settled in Hong Kong.These companies will bring a lot of investment and work to help Hong Kong's industrial speed up and develop.

As for the financial field, the Hong Kong Government took the initiative to strengthen cooperation with new markets such as the Middle East and Asians last year, and ushered in the first Asian Saudi Arabia Listing Fund (ETF) to be listed in Hong Kong.On the other hand, the official continued to deepen the interconnection with the financial market in mainland China, successively launched the "interchange", "Hong Kong dollar-RMB dual counter", etc., and strengthened the functions of the Hong Kong offshore RMB business hub.

However, while Hong Kong continues to develop this year, it also faces many unclear factors.In terms of economy, the Hong Kong property market and stock market did not perform well last year.During the Christmas holiday just now, the retail market has not improved.Or travel. The annual "Business Forecast questionnaire survey" published by the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce also shows that 42%of companies expect the turnover of this year to decrease than before the epidemic, reflecting that Hong Kong enterprises are cautious and optimistic about this year's business growth.

It is worrying that the slowdown in Hong Kong's economic slowdown seems to be a periodic issue, but more structural issues.Lei Dingming, a member of the expert group of the Hong Kong Chief Executive Group and Professor Rongxiu, Professor Rongxiu of the Department of Economics of the University of Science and Technology, has previously predicted that the Hong Kong economy will be difficult to improve in the next eight to ten years, and even if it grows, it will be very slow.From this point of view, the comprehensive recovery of Hong Kong's economic distance is still long.

Politics, international geopolitical conflicts have intensified last year.This year is the global election year. The game of great powers will continue, and it is difficult to be spared in the process of continuous confrontation between China and the United States.This means that under the calmness of the Hong Kong society this year, the roots of all kinds of chaos still exist.

The biggest unstable factors are 23 legislation.Article 23 of the Hong Kong Basic Law gives the constitutional responsibility of the Hong Kong Special Economic Zone, and legislation prohibits its own behavior and activities that endanger national security.Since the anti -repair storm in 2019, the Hong Kong Government has continuously introduced the policy of implementing the "Patriot Governing Hong Kong" in the past three years.