In the Media

近10年來，香港一直面對分間樓宇單位（俗稱「劏房」）激增的困局。窮等人家蝸居在擁擠不堪的非人居住環境，此等影像令人心痛，亦有損香港聲譽。

Chen Zhiwu, chair professor of finance at the University of Hong Kong, said “The biggest deflation factor is the high sense of insecurity among businesspeople, private firms and officials”. He said “No one feels really secure about tomorrow.”

經過兩次大戰的生靈塗炭，歐洲人終於化干戈為玉帛，把精力用在經濟合作，一來有利於發展經濟，二來防止再度戰爭。數十年來，歐洲的經濟整合緩慢但穩步發展，從五十年代只有6個成員的歐洲共同市場，發展到今天27個成員的歐盟，而合作的內容，從開始時的煤炭和鋼鐵，到今天20個成員共用的歐羅。

自1983年起，香港一直實施與美元掛的聯繫匯率制度（聯匯制度）。在這40年間，制度運行穩定，順利應對了多次重大挑戰，如1997至1998年的亞洲金融危機和2007至2008年的全球金融危機等。值此制度40周年之際，本文將探討在新的國際經濟形勢下聯匯制度的現狀與發展。基於最新國際經濟學研究成果，通過量化指標，分析不同匯率制度對香港的利弊。

根據環境保護署公布的2022年香港固體廢物監察報告，本港每天人均垃圾產量為1.51公斤，不僅高於台灣台北的0.37公斤【註1】和日本東京的0.89公斤【註2】，也沒有達到特區政府2013年提出的10年減廢目標（0.8公斤以下）。作為應對措施之一，政府計劃今年8月1日全面實行城市固體垃圾按量徵費。

環境、社會及管治（Environmental, Social, and Governance，簡稱ESG）近年好似雨後春筍般，已經無處不在。當眾人還分不清這3個字母順序的時候，ESG早已牽動無數跨國公司的重大決策，也深刻影響各國政府的監管決定。

The “Thought Leadership Conference Series: The Future of Hong Kong Economy” concluded successfully on 18 January. Professor Hongbin Cai, Dean and Chair of Economics of HKU Business School, has emphasized the school's dedication to conducting economic policy research for many years, with the aim of contributing to the sustainable development of Hong Kong's economy. To shape a better future for Hong Kong, society needs to focus on vision, policies, housing, and land. This year's Green Paper and conference have achieved remarkable results, receiving enthusiastic feedback from participants and affirming their value and impact.

Chen Zhiwu, chair professor of finance at the University of Hong Kong, said restoring confidence would be key, but that it would take much more than just talk. “The really useful and meaningful way to boost household and private business confidence is to depoliticise both economic policymaking and the business sector,” he said. “Otherwise, the ‘3D’ challenges – deflation, debt and deleveraging – will continue.”

Chen Zhiwu, a chair professor of finance at the University of Hong Kong, said headwinds such as risks of a global recession and US-China tensions would continue to exert “extraordinary pressures” on China’s hi-tech push. “The US tech war has largely thwarted Chinese tech companies’ [initial public offering] opportunities. Even if these tech manufacturers succeed in going public, the potential sanctions would affect their market valuations,” said Chen. He added China’s weak economic momentum is also weighing on the market’s overall willingness to invest, with hi-tech manufacturing just one element. “The rapid development of hi-tech industries over the past 20 years has provided China with a massive boost to its economic boom, this was partly due to the impact of a stable external environment on investor confidence,” Chen said.