Innovation and experimentation go hand in hand. For Hong Kong’s innovation and technology to thrive, the city needs experimentation. It’s time to turn that theory into practice. The space in Kai Tak and East Kowloon can best serve the purpose of experimenting and practicing innovation. There is Kwun Tong, an old industrial area, and the new development area of Kai Tak. How can we fuse the uses and cultures of the new and old neighborhoods? More creative and innovative transportation technology can be put to good use.
For example, can an environmentally friendly public transportation system be built connecting Kai Tak and Kwun Tong? A Legislative Councilor once proposed a “sky shuttle”, a transportation system of elevated trams, to connect Kai Tak, Kowloon Bay, Ngau Tau Kok and Kwun Tong. This type of tram is a fashionable and sustainable transport that reduces air pollution. Should the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region consider this type of low-cost transportation system that can fit into a city with complex geography and limited space for construction? Is it possible to experiment by testing out some installations?
In terms of promoting eco-friendly electric transportation, Hong Kong could well adapt the tram system currently running on Hong Kong Island, see to its optimization and create a unique tram system that reflects the city’s character. Collaboration with the Chinese mainland to carry out innovative experiments on transportation systems is inevitable. Participation of faculties and students from tertiary institutions would be beneficial. Through which, they will get to practice the techniques while familiarizing themselves with the technologies used in engineering projects. Meanwhile, cooperation among enterprises, scientific research institutions, and tertiary institutions can facilitate technological innovation and production.
The government should provide support through its policies, which include planning, regional administration, and support from departments governing practicalities and regulations. As for the main transportation means, it is unusual for a city like Hong Kong to run primarily on gasoline vehicles, with little emphasis on new types of transportation such as trams and electricity-powered motorcycles. That creates a significant waste of resources for a densely populated city with extremely limited space. The growing number of cars will make traffic congestion and insufficient land an even bigger problem.
The HKSAR government should be held accountable for planning of such low efficacy. The government should have approached it more systematically by assigning a single department to rule, regulate and plan a unified transportation system thoroughly, with the number of vehicles restricted while understanding its capacity and urban ecology. Without such an approach and plan, a city will run as is the case in Hong Kong, with a hodgepodge of approaches with multiple departments charting their own courses. The Transport Department, the Highways Department, and the Civil Engineering and Development Department all have their own plans and are run according to those individual plans; each does its own thing without any consolidated plan. Resources are wasted.
Under this “disjointed” governance model, each policy involves a dozen government departments. As each department runs its own course, each will resort to passing the buck. This “football-style” governance leads to inefficiency and incapability.
Concerning innovative technology, the most important part is in its application. Applications necessitate practice, and practice requires a laboratory. Kai Tak and East Kowloon can best serve as platforms and laboratories for experimenting with innovation and technology as well as new transportation systems. Institutions like Innopark, the Hong Kong Science Park, Cyberport, etc, are government-run institutions with “innovation and technology” as their branding. They, collectively, should lead by example — conducting more experiments, doing more practice and work on the applications of innovative technology, rather than becoming another leasing project of a different kind.
The government should have approached it more systematically by assigning a single department to rule, regulate and plan a unified transportation system thoroughly, with the number of vehicles restricted while understanding its capacity and urban ecology. Without such an approach and plan, a city will run as is the case in Hong Kong, with a hodgepodge of approaches with multiple departments charting their own courses
If Hong Kong wishes to develop innovation and technology, transportation systems should be brought to the forefront. In this area of development, Hong Kong has long assumed a leading role. It was one of the first cities in Asia to have an underground railway system. However, stagnation is reflected by the 1990s approach to transportation, in which the city, to this day, still relies on gasoline cars. At the moment, there are many new, green transportation systems that are both environmentally friendly and energy-saving, but Hong Kong is lagging in this regard.
An alternative to public transport could be walking. How can residents be encouraged and incentivized to walk more? The Department of Health and the Occupational Safety and Health Council launched the “10,000 Steps a Day” campaign in 2022 to raise awareness of the health benefits of walking. Naturally, residents would be willing to walk on the city’s streets if the roads were not packed with cars. After all, it returns to the problem of not planning systemically.
Hong Kong currently lacks efficient regional administration. As a result, districts cannot be fully developed and run effectively. For example, Tseung Kwan O is suitable for promoting “local district employment centers”. Should more offices be built in the Tseung Kwan O Innopark and industrial estate? Can local transportation within the district take forms of walking or cycling? Or green transport as in electric-powered vehicles? There are plenty of gasoline-powered cars on the outlying islands. Is it possible to introduce electric vehicles in the future for more comprehensive use? Can pilot programs be launched in Cheung Chau, Peng Chau and other islands to promote the use of electric cars? Should the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department or the Transport Department be responsible for campaigning this? Eventually, it all boils down to one problem — Hong Kong lacks efficient regional administration. Each district does not fully utilize its own characteristics. There is neither benign competition among districts, nor incentives for districts to innovate. Decision-making for districts depends solely on the instructions from the government headquarters.
On the other hand, some universities with larger campuses, such as the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) can conduct on-campus experiments on sustainable transportation. For CUHK, student transport within campus now depends upon coaches. Can electric cars be fully adopted to improve the campus’ air quality? Their students from innovation-and-technology-related engineering programs and the architecture and urban studies programs can work together to experiment with green transportation on campus.
The HKUST campus is also suitable for these experiments. The university’s electronic engineering experts and students can assist in planning and facilitate its campuswide application. Shenzhen DJI Sciences and Technologies Ltd was founded by an HKUST graduate. Can innovative personalized transportation tools be piloted in the university? Certainly, the government must relax the regulations or give permission for such experiments to be conducted.
The development of innovation and technology in Hong Kong is being held back by insufficient support. Enterprises and startups have turned to Shenzhen, where they enjoy a more favorable environment. The HKSAR government should allocate 5 percent of its budget plus other economic and land resources to facilitate different innovation and technology experiments.
The author is a member of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies and artistic director of Zuni Icosahedron.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.
