When the Chinese government put forward the "One Country, Two Systems" principle for the resolution of Hong Kong's future back in the early 1980s, the main consideration at that time was to let Hong Kong play a key role in the country's "coming in" development strategy, rather than what contribution the city could make to the nation's global strategy.

As an important subject - Hong Kong's role in the country's global strategy - began to emerge gradually only in the last couple of years. There are now preliminary studies going on in Hong Kong as well as in the mainland on this issue, which is without a doubt crucial to Hong Kong's future.

The subject was raised in response to the changing domestic and international situations, including China's "rise to major power status" and the country's growing economic, financial, military and diplomatic influence in the world (particularly in East Asia and Africa). With Chinese interests now found all over the world, the international community demands China to play a more active and more "responsible" role.

Other factors come into play as well - Western countries' concern over China's growing influence, the US "encirclement strategy" against China, China's development model, its growing export of capital and labor and its discontent toward the US over the continuing devaluation of the American dollar, etc.

Generally speaking, the country's global strategy consists of several key components. They include building up an international environment favorable to China's development and global access. It is a strategy promoting free trade and opposed to protectionism. At the same time China is actively forging good-neighborly ties while enhancing national security. It seeks to obtain natural resources and farmland overseas to ensure its own sustainable development. China has undertaken the "go overseas" strategy of exporting capital, technology, talents/manpower, and showcasing China's "soft power" around the world. China is also at the forefront of a drive to establish an East Asian free trade area.

Hong Kong's own strength and advantages afforded by the "One Country, Two Systems" principle allow the SAR to participate in and provide assistance to the nation's global strategy.

As an international financial center and offshore yuan trade hub, Hong Kong can help yuan become "international" (especially as a foreign reserve currency in Southeast Asia for a start). As a cultural and economic center for the overseas Chinese population around the world, Hong Kong can help the country forge closer ties with localities where ethnic Chinese communities concentrate. As a resolute defender of free trade, Hong Kong can join the nation in advancing free trade and opposing various forms of protectionism on the world stage. As a place where talents with global vision and experience thrive, the city can facilitate the nation's "going out" strategy. Hong Kong companies can team up with mainland enterprises to do business overseas and help mainland enterprises promote their brands around the world.

Hong Kong needs to keep cultivating and updating its role and function in the country's development in order to fortify its significant place in the nation and boost its own continuous development. That is why Hongkongers must think hard about ways to be part of the country's global strategy.

The author is a Hong Kong member of the CPPCC.

(HK Edition 10/26/2012 page3)