【明報專訊】IN 2024, the GDP growth of Shenzhen and Hong Kong were 5.8% and 2.5% respectively. Comparing the two cities by their economic aggregates is increasingly pointless, as Shenzhen has an array of national-class or even world-class industries, whereas in Hong Kong, there is none. However, the direction of future development is worthy of discussion, for it will decide whether the difference between the two cities will continue to broaden or whether there is a chance of narrowing the gap. Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry Sun Dong said yesterday (2 March) that the SAR government is determined to devote more resources to the AI sector despite the serious fiscal deficit it faces. If this direction can be carried through, Hong Kong is not yet straying too far.
Shenzhen's GDP overtook Hong Kong in 2018, when Hong Kong's GDP equalled 99% of Shenzhen's. Since then, the two cities have shown a great disparity in the pace of economic development and the GDP gap has kept widening. In 2024, Hong Kong's GDP was only 81% of Shenzhen's.
Shenzhen has gathered multiple A-list companies, such as Huawei, a leading enterprise in the innovation and technology (I&T) industry, and BYD Auto, which has beaten Tesla to become the world's largest new energy vehicle manufacturer in terms of output. The city's robot output accounted for 40% of the country's total, making it the leading hub of robotics in China. Endowed with highly intelligent technologies, these high-yield enterprises have driven the thriving development of other peripheral sectors. Shenzhen's economic capacity now ranks third in the country. Ahead of it are Shanghai and Beijing, both direct-administered municipalities.
In Hong Kong, the manufacturing industry is nearly absent. The financial services sector accounts for 20% of the city's GDP, the trading and logistics industry 20%, whereas the real estate sector, counting the sum of value added, contributes to 6% of the GDP. Professional services such as legal and accounting services, along with other producer services, comprise 10% of the GDP. Tourism also shares about 6%. The makeup has shown little change for a long time. However, as the development potentials of these industries are limited, a significant advancement in GDP growth is also impossible.
Seeing the high potential of the I&T sector, Shenzhen has scored early wins by targeted development. And it did that with full vigour, manifesting proper collaboration between the government and businesses. In 2024, the investment of all sectors of Shenzhen in research and development (R&D) reached RMB 223.6 billion, marking a year-on-year increase of 19% and accounting for 6.5% of the city's GDP. From this significant ratio, one may envisage that there is still a huge potential for future development. Hong Kong's expenditure on R&D in 2023 was HK$33 billion, 10% more than the previous year. Still, it is of no real significance comparing the total R&D investment of the two cities, because with the related industry nearly non-existent in Hong Kong, investments from enterprises are rare here.
The government's execution ability is also a decisive factor in developing the I&T industry. [The Cooperation Zone] encompassing the Lok Ma Chau Loop and spanning across Shenzhen River features two technology parks with great contrasts in the speed of development. The Shenzhen Park has already seen many high-rises and enterprises; whereas the Hong Kong Park is still a deserted piece of land, with its first three buildings only to be commenced this year at the earliest. If the SAR government does not play catch-up in this respect, it would harm investors' confidence and render investment conferences fruitless, however more there would be.
The freshly released Budget has proposed endeavouring to develop AI as a core industry and set aside HK$1 billion for the establishment of the Hong Kong AI Research and Development Institute. It is hoped that this meagre investment of HK$1 billion will not only reflect the government's shouldering of its responsibility in developing the I&T industry, but also be followed by actions to implement the various policies in substance.
明報社評2025.03.03：深港一河之隔發展速度懸殊 獨特轉化成經濟動力成關鍵
2024年深圳市GDP經濟增長5.8%，香港2.5%。用經濟總量比較深港兩地情况，意義愈來愈低，因為深圳有眾多達到國家級甚至國際級的產業，香港沒有。值得探討的是未來發展路向，深港差距是繼續拉大，還是有機會縮短。創新科技及工業局長孫東昨日表示，在面臨財赤嚴峻的情况下，特區政府仍然下決心在人工智能方面加大投入。如果這個路向得以落實，香港實迷途其未遠。
深圳GDP在2018年超越香港，當年香港GDP為深圳的99%，此後兩地經濟發展速度懸殊，GDP差距愈拉愈大，2024年香港GDP僅為深圳的81%。
深圳明星企業眾多，華為是創科產業龍頭，比亞迪新能源汽車產量超越特斯拉，成為全球產量最大的電動車製造商，全市機械人產量佔全國40%，成為全國機械人第一城。這些技術含智能量高、產值大的企業，帶動其他配套產業「雞犬升天」，深圳市的經濟總量，在全國排名第三，前面的上海和北京都是直轄市。
香港幾乎沒有製造業，金融服務業在GDP比重為20%，貿易與物流業佔比20%，房地產業按增加值計算對GDP貢獻率為6%，專業服務包括法律與會計及其他工商業支援服務佔比為10%，旅遊業約佔6%，這個格局長期以來變化不大，惟這些產業的發展空間有所局限，GDP增長也不可能有長足發展。
深圳早着先機，瞄準發展潛力大的創科產業，並且雷厲風行，政府與企業協調得當。2024年深圳全社會研發投入達到2236億元人民幣，較前一年增長近19%，佔GDP比重6.5%。比重之高，預示未來潛力仍有很大發展空間。2023年香港對研發的開支為330億港元，比上一年增長10%。比對兩地科研經費投入總額沒有實質意義，因為香港幾乎沒有相關產業，少有企業的投入。
政府的執行力也是發展創科產業的關鍵因素，橫跨深圳河的河套「一區兩園」，深港「兩園」的發展速度有巨大反差：在深圳園區，一座座高樓拔地而起，已有大量企業進駐；在香港園區則呈現一片荒蕪，最先建成的3棟大廈最快今年才能推出。特區政府在這方面不急起直追，影響投資者的信心，再搞多少場招商引資大會也變成徒勞。
剛發表的《財政預算案》提出，要全力發展人工智能，成為關鍵產業，並預留10億元，成立香港人工智能研發院。希望這區區10億元的投入，除顯示政府對發展創科產業的承擔，還要有進一步的跟進行動，切實將各種措施落實。
■ Glossary 生字 /
stray : to move away from the place where you should be, without intending to
envisage : to imagine what will happen in the future
meagre : small in quantity and poor in quality