香港贸易发展局主席    苏泽光

随着全球步入服务经济时代，服务业和服务贸易在各国经济发展中占有愈来愈重要的地位。因此，国家第十二个「五年计划」特别提出，要大力发展服务业和服务贸易，以此作为促进国家经济转型的重要战略举措之一。北京是国家的首都，是全国的政治中心，同时也是华北经济区域的中心城市，辐射范围遍及全国，在国家提振服务贸易的过程中，必然扮演重之又重的角色。

根据世界贸易组织的统计，中国是全球最大的货物出口国，2011年输出到世界各地的货物总值达到18,986亿美元，而进口总值亦达17,435亿美元，贸易总值仅次于美国，但差距不足3%。但服务贸易方面，中国却排名第四，远低于美国、德国和英国，以总值4,180亿美元计算，只是美国的43%。由此观之，中国作为全球第二大的经济体，其服务贸易存在极大发展空间。

中国服务贸易将有长足发展
事实上，从近年数字看来，的确可以看到中国服务贸易正以高速增长。2010年，中国服务贸易总值为3,620亿美元，较2009年上升26%；而2011年的升幅亦达15%。美国同期增幅分别仅为9%和11%。在国家政策支持下，可以预期中国未来五年在服务贸易上将会有长足的发展。

北京市作为中国的首都，2011年的本地生产总值达到16,000亿元人民币，而服务业占本地生产总值达到75%之多，但服务贸易总值则为895.4亿元，仅占本地生产总值约35%。至于香港，服务业占本地生产总值93%，而服务贸易总值则占本地生产总值约65%。依此推估，北京市的服务贸易仍有极大发展空间。

香港在多个主要现代服务业，包括金融、物流、法律、会计，以至项目管理、物业管理、企业管理、销售及市场推广等，均拥有完整的产业链，是亚洲地区的服务业枢纽。很多人士在谈及香港服务业时，都会提到香港社会的多项优势，包括奉行普通法和维护司法独立；信息、资金、人才和货物基本自由流通；以及公平竞争的营商环境。

上述这些优势对香港作为国际商贸中心、服务业枢纽，都是非常重要的因素，不少专家已先后为此作过详尽阐释，在这里便不赘述了。此外，基于不同城市面对着不同的发展条件，要完全复制这些因素，也不是一蹴即至。但香港服务业能够发展起来，还有不容忽视的历史因素，颇值得其它城市参详。

香港服务业发展的历史轨迹
香港在六十年代至八十年代初，出口制造业与国际贸易同步发展，既是生产地，也是出口运输中心。在国家改革开放初期，香港是内地与世界经济接触的最主要窗口。据估计，经香港转口的货物占全国对外贸易的比例，到九十年代初已占近50%。

国家改革开放为香港制造业带来千载难逢的机遇，大批香港公司把生产基地迁往内地，特别珠江三角洲一带，利用当地的成本优势，提升产品在国际市场上的竞争力。与此同时，这些公司继续利用香港作为它们的营运中心，在香港从事企业管理、财务、市场策划等，从而带动了香港现代服务业的发展，为今天香港作为服务业枢纽奠定了重要基础。

当年，香港的服务业与珠三角的生产活动息息相关。但随着香港公司在内地愈趋活跃，涉及的业务范围愈来愈广泛，再加上不少跨国公司利用香港作为它们打开中国市场的跳板，香港服务业的发展亦愈来愈快，并趋向多元化。各个服务行业面对商界需要，不断提升水平，一方面与国际同业接轨，另方面则切合内地实际情况，针对国情需要提供相关服务。时至今天，香港的服务业的服务对象已遍及全国。香港近三成的服务输出，便是以中国内地为市场。

以金融服务为例，香港作为国际金融中心，不论是规模、效率，以至服务多样性，均位踞全球前列。根据世界经济论坛金融发展指数，香港在2011年更称冠全球，领先美国、英国等西方国家。近年，配合国家推动人民币作为国际贸易结算货币，香港在国家政策支持下，积极开拓人民币产品及服务，现时已成为全球最重要的人民币离岸结算中心。去年透过香港发行的人民币债券总量便高达1,080亿元人民币，为内地企业，以至有意拓展内地业务的海外公司提供另一项重要的融资工具。

事实上，随着内地港口基建愈趋发达，虽然香港转口的货物仍不断增长，但香港作为内地国际贸易转口港的重要性却相对下降。单从运输的角度来看，香港的重要性相对减低，但香港作为贸易中心的功能并未减退。

从香港的离岸贸易数字来看，涉及的货物总值由2002年的14,582亿港元，上升至2008年的33,628亿。2009年受金融风暴影响，香港的离岸贸易下跌了12.8%，但假如撇除金融暴风暴的影响，2002至2008年间香港离岸贸易平均每年上升约15%，较同期转口贸易平均每年上11.4%为快。

生产基地远离香港；转口业务的发展也可能相对减慢，但香港作为管理离岸贸易中心的功能不但未有改变，甚至是不断加强。根据香港贸易发展局一项大型问卷调查，在香港的企业绝大部份倾向继续在香港从事较高增值的商业活动。未来三年，大多数受访公司表示仍将在港从事财务及会计、贸易融资及保险安排、企业管理及制订策略、销售及市场推广等。

服务业发展与贸易中心地位不可分割

总的来说，香港服务业的发展与香港作为贸易中心是不可分割的。货物贸易通常被称为「有形贸易」，而服务贸易则被视作「无形贸易」，但「有形」与「无形」之间往往是互相扶持的。贸易中心本身主要是提供一个交易平台，交易讲究效率，同时也涉及风险，现代服务的出现就是要提升交易效率，减低交易过程中面对的种种风险，从而为交易各方提供最大的利润。因此，香港贸易的增长促进了服务业的发展；而服务产业的壮大、优化，亦为贸易增长提供了有利的条件。

展望未来，「十二五」规划提出支持香港巩固和提升竞争优势，包括巩固和提升香港国际金融、贸易、航运中心的地位，特别是支持香港发展成为离岸人民币业务中心和国际资产管理中心。在国家的战略框架下，香港和内地的经贸关系济将更趋紧密，而香港的服务业亦会有更大的发展空间。

北京，不但是国家的首都，同时东接环渤海、西连西部地区；北望东北三省、南通华中地区，辐射面覆盖全国。在经贸上的影响力，与长三角的上海和珠三角的广州，可说是鼎足而三，为服务贸易的发展提供了非常有利的条件。

国家的《服务贸易发展「十二五」规划纲要》中，提出「大服务」发展理念，主要包括三方面内容，包括「做大服务贸易」、「促进服务贸易与货物贸易的均衡协调发展」，以及「按照因地制宜、优势互补的原则促进服务业转型升级」。

去年底发表的《北京市「十二五」时期对外经贸发展规划》，亦提出扩大服务贸易全国领先优势，包括加快新兴服务贸易发展、推进服务外包高端发展，以及搭建综合型国际服务贸易交易平台。这些都是以「十一五」取得的发展成果为基础，针对北京和外围地区营商需求而提出的具体方向，极具前瞻意义。

京港合作有助服务业发展提速

长远而言，北京与香港可在服务业的不同范畴建立更紧密的合作关系，透过双方的互补优势，提高两地服务的发展速度。以物流业为例，香港的物流业具备先进技术和国际联系，而北京同业则拥有细密的内地配送网络，透过两地合作，香港业界可为国际客户提供更周到的物流服务，而北京同业亦可藉此吸取经验，提升本身服务水平。

针对国家提振服务贸易而举行的首届「中国(北京)服务贸易交易会」，与今届北京市市长国际企业家顾问会议同期举行。这个交易会不但为中国提供了一个全新的服务交易平台，同时亦可推动北京服务贸易更上一层楼。香港的服务业界将可利用这个平台，与北京业界交流联系，并且进行配对合作，携手为国家服务贸易的发展作出贡献。

Lessons from the History of Development ofTrade in Services in Hong Kong
——Mr. So Chak Kwong, JackChairman, Hong Kong Trade Development Council

 

Service industry and trade in services play increasingly important roles in the economic development of countries all over the world, as the world is entering the era of service economy. It is therefore sensible that the Twelfth Five-Year Plan should emphasise China’s devotion in development of service industry and trade in services as a strategic initiative to drive the transformation of the Chinese economy. Beijing, the capital of China, is not only the centre of the nation in politics, but is also the powerhouse of the northern China economic zone, with influence all over the nation. As Chinese government is set to boost trade in services, the importance of Beijing’s cannot be overemphasised.

According to statistics by World Trade Organisation, China is the largest export country in the world. The aggregated values of goods exported from China to the rest of the world amounted to US$1,898.6 billion and the aggregated values of its imports amounted to US$1,743.5 billion in 2011. Aggregated value of trade by China is only second to the United States, with the difference less than 3%. However, on the trade in services sector, China only ranked fourth in 2011, and was behind the United States, Germany and Britain by considerable distances in terms of absolute trade value. In aggregate, China’s trade in services amounted to US$ 418 billion, represented only 43% of that of the United States. Based on such statistics, trade in services in China, as the second largest economy in the world, has huge potential for development.

Trade in Services in China Sees Substantial Development
 Actually, recent figures show that trade in services in China is growing rapidly. In 2010, the aggregated value of trade in services in China amounted to US$362 billion, represented an increase of 26% from 2009, and a further 15% increase was recorded in 2011. The United States only registered an increase of 9% and 11% respectively for corresponding periods. It is expected that the development of trade in services in China will see substantial growth in the coming five years with the support of Chinese government’s policies.

As the capital of China, Beijing’s gross domestic product reached RMB1,600 billion in 2011, of which 75% was contributed by the service industry. However, the aggregated value of trade in services amounted to RMB89.54 billion only, represented approximately 35% of the GDP. In Hong Kong, service industry constitutes 93% of the GDP while the aggregated value of trade in services contributes approximately 65% of the GDP. By comparison, the trade in services in Beijing still has great potential for development.

Hong Kong is one of Asia’s hubs in service industry, with sophisticated industrial chains for a number of major branches of modern service industry, including finance, logistics, law, accounting, project management, property management, corporate management, sales and marketing. When people discuss the strengthens of Hong Kong service industry, they often mention the various favourable conditions in the territory, including practice of the Common Law and upholding the independence of justice, free flow of information, capital, talents and goods and a business environment with fair competition.

The above merits are the key factors that made Hong Kong an international commercial centre and service hub today. Many experts had discussed this issue in great details and I shall not repeat them here. On the other hand, as different cities have different development conditions, it is never easy to recreate such conditions within a short period of time. Having said that, the historical backgrounds which contributed to the success of Hong Kong service industry should not be ignored. It can be served as a valuable reference for other cities.

Tracking the Development History of Hong Kong Service Industry
From 1960s to early 1980s, economic growth of Hong Kong was chiefly driven by its manufacturing sector, the products of which were predominantly for export purposes, and also by its international trade activities. The territory was both the manufacturing hub and world leading export and re-export centre. In the early days of the Chinese economic reform, Hong Kong played the key role as a window that connected China’s economy with the rest of the world. It was estimated that, by early 1990s, nearly 50% of goods from China were re-exported through Hong Kong.

A ‘once-in-a-thousand-year’ opportunity was created for Hong Kong’s manufacturing sector by China’s implementation of its economic reform, during which time a large number of Hong Kong companies relocated their production facilities to mainland China, particularly the Pearl River Delta region, to take advantage of the lower costs and overheads in the Mainland. Consequently, Hong Kong manufacturers were able to enhance their products’ competitive edges in the global market. At the same time, they remained headquartered in Hong Kong, from where corporate functions such as corporate management, finance and marketing were largely performed. This had propelled the service sector in Hong Kong to blossom and laid solid foundation for Hong Kong rising into prominence as a services hub.

By then, Hong Kong service industry was closely related to the production activities in the Pearl River Delta region. Later on, it had been stepping up its pace of development as Hong Kong companies were becoming more actively involved in mainland China’s business arena and with their ongoing expansion in business scopes, and as there were more multi-national corporations making use of Hong Kong as a ‘springboard’ to enter the Chinese market. The Hong Kong service sector had on the one hand raised its service standards to levels on a par with its international peers, and on the other hand customized their services to accommodate the specific conditions and requirements of mainland China, with a view to catering the needs of various businesses. Today, the Hong Kong service industry has a client base that covers virtually the entire mainland China, where almost 30% of Hong Kong’s service output is delivered to.

To illustrate this point, let me took the financial service sector as an example. Hong Kong has developed into a truly international financial centre with its market size, efficiency and diversity in service scopes all enjoy high global rankings. Hong Kong took the top spot of the Financial Development Index of the World Economic Forum in 2011, beating financial hubs in the West such as the United States and the United Kingdom. In recent years, coordinating with the Chinese efforts in promoting Renminbi’s status as a currency for international trade settlement, and under the support of the policies issued by the Chinese government, Hong Kong has been actively launching financial products and services in Renminbi, making the city one of the most important offshore Renminbi centres in the world. Last year, a total of RMB108.0 billion of Renminbi bonds were issued through Hong Kong. This has added an important financing alternative to domestic enterprises in mainland China as well as foreign corporations intending to expand into the market of mainland China.

While the volume of good re-exported through Hong Kong keeps growing, the importance of Hong Kong as an intermediary of trade to re-export goods from mainland China to the world is diminishing, on the fact that ports in the mainland China are increasingly well developed in terms of infrastructure. Hong Kong is less important as an intermediary in the transportation of goods, but its value as a trade centre remains very much intact.

Hong Kong’s offshore trade statistics showed that the total value of exported goods related to offshore trade increased from HK$1,458.2 billion in 2002 to HK$3,362.8 billion in 2008. Hit by the financial tsunami, Hong Kong’s offshore trade dropped by 12.8% in 2009. Excluding the effect of the financial tsunami, Hong Kong’s offshore trade between 2002 and 2008 would have grown by approximately 15% annually on average, which would be higher than the 11.4% average annual growth rate in re-exports for the same period.

While relocation of the production base to areas that are further away from Hong Kong may imply that the growth in re-export would slow down, Hong Kong’s role as the centre of offshore trading management remains unchanged. Instead, its role has been unceasingly strengthened. According to a large-scaled survey conducted by HKTDC, most Hong Kong enterprises are likely to continue engaging with Hong Kong for higher value-added commercial activities. A majority of the interviewees indicated that, in the next three years, they will continue to conduct their businesses of finance and accounting, trade finance and insurance arrangement, corporate management and strategy formulation, and sales and marketing in Hong Kong

HK as a Service Hub is Inseparable with Its Status as a Leading Trading Centre
 All in all, the development of Hong Kong service industry is inseparable with the status of Hong Kong as a trade centre. While trade in goods is often referred to as “physical trade”, trade in services is referred to as “non-physical trade”. Physical trade and non-physical trade are often complimentary to each other. In a trade centre, people find a platform to do trade, where ‘efficiency’ is always desirable, and risks are inevitably involved. In today’s world, demand for services is arisen from the needs to increase trade efficiency and minimise the various risks which may be encountered during the process of trade with a view to maximise the profit for parties to the trade. As a result, the growth in trade has promoted the development in service industry, and the strengthening and optimization of the service industry also lay a solid foundation to support the growth in trade.

Looking forward, the Twelfth Five-year Plan states that the Chinese government will support Hong Kong in its efforts in consolidating and improving its competitive edges, including strengthening and enhancing Hong Kong’s position as a centre for finance, trading and shipping, and, in particular, as a centre for offshore Renminbi business and international asset management. Under the strategic framework of China, Hong Kong will cement closer ties in economic and trade aspects with the Mainland, and that the service industry of Hong Kong will have further room for expansion.

Beijing is not only the capital of China, but is also connected to the Bohai Ring Area and Western China at the east and west respectively, and is linked to the Three Northeast Provinces and the Central China at the north and south respectively. The transportation network that radiates from Beijing covers the entire country. Beijing’s status in economic development and trade of China is unique and as critical as that of Shanghai in the Yangtze River Delta and Guangzhou in the Pearl River Delta. The city provides very favourable conditions for the development of trade in services.

Pursuant to China’s “Outline of the Twelfth Five-Year Plan For Development of Trade in Services”, it proposes the development philosophy of “Grand Service”, which mainly consists of three aspects: “expanding trade in services”, “developing trade in services and goods in a balanced and coordinated manner” and “transformation of and upgrading in service industry under the principles of localisation and mutual complement of strenghts”.

The ”Plan for External Trade and Economic Development During the Period of Twelfth Five-Year Plan for Beijing” published at the end of last year also outlined the plan to further extend Beijing’s leading position in domestic trade in services by accelerating the development of trade in the newly emerging service types, promoting the advance development in service outsourcing, and setting up comprehensive international trade platform for trade in services. These principles are based on achievements yielded by the Eleventh Five-Year Plan, and provide specific and forward-looking directions in regard of business requirements in Beijing and its peripheral areas.

Cooperation Can Speed Up Development of Service Industry
In the long run, Beijing and Hong Kong should enter into closer partnership in various areas of service industry. Leveraging on their complementary advantages, service industry in both cities may achieve a higher growth rate. Taking logistics industry as an example, Hong Kong’s logistics industry is renowned for its advanced technology and international connection, whilst its counterparts in Beijing possess more comprehensive domestic distribution networks. With the cooperation between two cities, firms in Hong Kong’s logistics sector can offer more integrated logistic services to their worldwide customers, while logistics service providers in Beijing can gain experience and improve its service level.

The First China International Fair for Trade in Services in Beijing, which is held for the purpose of promoting domestic trade in services, is convened concurrently with this year’s meeting of International Business Leaders Advisory Council for the Mayor of Beijing. The trade fair not only establishes a new service trade platform in China, but also serves to further boost the trade in services in Beijing. Service providers in Hong Kong can make use of this platform to communicate and network with their fraternities in Beijing, and business matching among both parties may contribute to the development of domestic trade in services.