Preview

Hong Kong

Powerful Essays
Open Document
Open Document
2167 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Hong Kong
Question:

* Discuss the factors which have promoted the growth of Hong Kong as a ‘global city’, and the forces which will determine its future growth development.

Word count: 1952 words

Globalisation that is happening in the world today gives rise to the context of global cities. This global city is advanced culturally, socially, politically and especially economically. Hong Kong is considered as a major city in the world. In fact, it is regarded as the 5th global city in the world. According to Mr. Andrew Chen of Hong Kong company incorporation agency, Janus Corporate Solutions, it acts as a finance hub, business and commercial hub, arts hub, and cultural hub, all rolled into one (Ali, 2010). Factors such as connectivity, proximity to China, low tax system, ease of Hong Kong company setup, and excellent infrastructure have made Hong Kong the centre of business activity in Asia (Ali, 2010).

Much of the global cities in the world had distinguishing history that makes them an important city in the world today. Hong Kong owes its status now because of its history too. Hong Kong was a colonial city, founded by the British in 1840s, and it became the second most important port centre after Shanghai on the China coast during the century following its founding (Williams, 1983). According to Williams (1983), the importance of Hong Kong was due to its site and location, which was suitable for trading. Since Hong Kong did not possess natural resources that could be deemed as sustainable for their population, it depended on trade and imports by traders coming into their city. Its mid-location which is between UK, China and India made it a location easy for travellers and merchants to harbour. British also introduced free taxes to encourage more economic activities and business opportunities, and to make Hong Kong one of the most important ports in the world.

After 1949 when Shanghai became part of socialist China and its functions as a major financial



References: * Ali, S. (2010). Hong Kong, Fifth Most Global City in the World. Retrieved March 19, 2011, from http://blog.guidemehongkong.com/economy/b821-hong-kong-fifth-most-global-city-in-the-world * Clifton, J. (2011). Hong Kong - The Global City of Southeast Asia. UBD. * Cullinane, S. & Cullinane, K. (2003). City Profile of Hong Kong. Cities 20, 279 - 288. * Hall, P. & Pfeiffer, U. (2000). Urban Future 21: A Global Agenda for Twenty-First Century Cities (p. 126). London: E & FN Spon. * Rimmer, P. J. & Dick, H. (2009). The City in Southeast Asia: Patterns, Processes and Policy (pp. 59). Singapore: NUS Press. * United Nation (2011). Human Development Index and Its Components. Retrieved March 19, 2011 from http://data.un.org/DocumentData.aspx?id=227 * Wikipedia (2011). Hong Kong. Retrieved March 19, 2011, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hong_Kong * Williams, J. F. (1983). Cities of East Asia. In Brunn, S. D. & Williams, J. F. (Eds.) Cities of the World: World Regional Urban Development (pp. 423 - 425, 430 - 431). New York: Harper & Row.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    World cities have become the command centres of the ever increasingly globalised world economy. These cities are highly equipped with the most advanced communication technologies and consequently play the lead role in organising the concentration and accumulation of world capital, as well as being the preferred location for specialised service firms such as accounting and law. This can be observed through the large number of TNC headquarters located in world cities. Consequently, world cities have gained a large amount of economic authority. Furthermore, due to their ability to generate and spread ideas, values and influence specific cultural processes world cities have also gained cultural authority. This is through having strong media outlets and many tourist attractions. New York and London are prime examples of world cities with economic and cultural authority.…

    • 621 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Best Essays

    Secondary Suites Dilemma

    • 1663 Words
    • 7 Pages

    [ 7 ]. Paul Knox, Steven Pinch. Urban Social Geography: An Introduction. (Harlow: Pearson Education Limited, 2010), 48.…

    • 1663 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Good Essays

    Asian cities have been tended to grow more quickly than Western cities, so what makes their growth so phenomenal? The accelerated rate may be attributed to population dynamics, economic markets and or/socio-political conditions, poor planning and disregarding environmental hazards like flood plains have held them back. Many primate cities in Asia have grown to become megacities, and some more are rapidly increasing in size to assume such a status by the end of the century. This is a remarkable phenomenon fraught with various implications, favorable or unfavorable. In 1960 there were only two megacities in the region, which were, Tokyo and Shanghai. In 1970 Beijing was added, and Asia had three of 10 megacities in the world, or two of five in the developing world. By 1980 Bombay, Cacutta, Osaka, and Seoul also assumed similar status, and Asia had seven of 15 world megacities. In 1990, with Tianjin, Jakarta, Delhi, and Manila becoming megacities, developing Asia contained nine of 14 mega-cities in the less developed regions. In my opinion, I believe that the population dynamics are the most influential to urban growth.…

    • 883 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    World Cities

    • 1989 Words
    • 8 Pages

    A world city is a large city that has outstripped its national urban network and has become part of an international global system. They have become powerful nodal points for the multiplicity of linkages, and interconnections that sustain the contemporary world economies, social and political systems. The result is a new world system of cities acting as ‘organising nodes’. In other words, they link regional, national, and international economies into the global economy, and this assists their main role as powerful centres of economic and cultural authority. These world cities are dominated by TNC’s which are part of an international global system, and these corporations select regional cities as strategic centres from which to extend their influence within the global economy. The growth of world cities is facilitated by increasing telecommunication networks and improvements in technology, and the links of air transport between world cities.…

    • 1989 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    A world city is a large city that has been outstripped its natural urban network and become part of an international global system. World cities have become the central connecting point for the multiplicity of linkages and interconnections that sustain the contemporary world economy, and its social and political systems. According to the 2004 GaWC studies world cities can be ranked based on their provision of ‘advanced producer services’ such as accountancy, advertising, finance and law. In 2008 the rankings according to the GaWC determined that London and New York were Alpha ++ cities whilst Sydney, Paris, Hong Kong and Singapore were Alpha +. These world cities are essential within the globalised world economy with their main role being as powerful centres of economic and cultural authority.…

    • 827 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Singapore, the leading global city-state, has been recognized for its strong transportation system. The Emerging economy in Singapore implies the city state to connect its cities and its islands all together. It has also expanded its link to the rest of the world, by which it allied its borders by two bridges to Malaysia as well as to some other regional centers.…

    • 2238 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Sap Research Centers

    • 1031 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Shanghai as a city (comparing with nearby second-tier Chinese cities and some other cities in Asia):…

    • 1031 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Brunn, S.D., Williams, J.F., Ziegler, D.J. (Eds.), 2003. Cities of the World: World Regional Urban Development…

    • 1818 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Abstract: Skyline as a new symbol of the city and the characteristics of the landscape, along with the development of the city,also witnessed the changes in urban history. Scientific and technological development and the psychology of human behavior have become an important factor of city's skyline. This paper analyzes the Hong Kong; for example, explore internal and external causes; space and time to shape the skyline of Hong Kong.…

    • 1976 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Best Essays

    Hong Kong, once a British colony after the wars, has been well-known as a vibrant metropolitan. After 99 years of British rule, Hong Kong was handed over to China in 1 July 1997. After a long period of western culture instillation, Hongkongers remain confused about their identity in the recent 16 years of post-colonial period. This struggle in identity can be reflected from the city's cultural, economic and social components, that characterize the city as a 'post-colonial' city. On the other hand, Hong Kong being one of international port cities in Asia, has been playing a vital role in the global financial market. Relying heavily on international investment, flux of global travelers and migrants have been constantly shaping the cities' landscape. Thus, the city can also be explained by the post-metropolis model. This paper aims to demonstrate how each model, post-colonial and post-metropolis, could explain the city in different parts. Examples and proofs would be provided from a very local angle, as the author has been living in the city for over 20 years. Finally, this paper closes with the idea of transformation of models in Hong Kong, together with the difficulties in fitting cities into one rigid model and criticism on the representation of the models.…

    • 3674 Words
    • 15 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Best Essays

    Hong Kong has evolved from a small fishing village into an entrepot, and was later developed into a centre for manufactunory industries.…

    • 1164 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Good Essays

    Hong Kong and Singapore

    • 1097 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Tourism is also a large part of Hong Kong’s economy. In 2005 on Lantau Island, Hong Kong the amusement park Disneyland was constructed and based on the original California Disneyland has become a major amusement park attraction.…

    • 1097 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    International connection is one backbone to maintain the bloom economic growth. To ribbon the road, rail and energy resources to increase the traceability between China and countries along with the sea-based routes, the Chinese President Xi Jinping introduced a “One Belt, One Road” Initiative in October 2013. In the 2016 Policy Address, our Chief Executive Leung Chun Ying mentioned what role Hong Kong should play in the project. He stated that “by leveraging the combined advantages of “one country” and "two systems” industries in Hong Kong”, Hong Kong has its strength competitive advantages as a super-connector between the Mainland China and the worldwide. However, his comments have raised a quite amount of controversies in the society as people’s perception towards the benefits varies to some certain extent. For instance, Agnes Chan, Hong Kong and Macau managing partner for EY believes that the “One Belt One Road” Initiative is a perfect time for Hong Kong to leverage its expertise and unique resources. While regarding the Fitch Rating Report, it explains that this ambitious project may unbalance the commercial development of Hong Kong. In this essay, I will argue that the “One Belt, One Road” Initiative is the ideal springboard for Hong Kong to play to its strengths in the following three aspects.…

    • 1248 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Hong Kong is currently under the rule of the PRC as a special administrative region, with the practice of ‘One country, two system’. Hong Kong exercises capitalism under the rule of the British government and thus continues its practice after the handover. Hong Kong is closely located to mainland, showing her essential role in the economic coordination. The number of cross-boundaries cooperation has been increasing steady, and today, Hong Kong and mainland develops an inseparable relationship in terms of political, economical and social aspect.…

    • 4336 Words
    • 18 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Best Essays

    Liveable Cities

    • 1805 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Liang Fook Lye, Gang Chen (2010). Towards a Livable and Sustainable Urban Environment: Eco-Cities in East Asia. Singapore: World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd.. 222.…

    • 1805 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Best Essays

Related Topics