A proposed integration between Shenzhen and Hong Kong to form an international metropolis was popular in Shenzhen, a survey conducted by the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) showed.
Some 88.3 percent of respondents said it made sense for Hong Kong and Shenzhen to form a single metropolitan entity, while 47.6 percent said they were satisfied or very satisfied with what the two city governments had done to enhance economic cooperation. Only 21.4 percent were unsatisfied or very unsatisfied with the governments' performance.
The idea of a Shenzhen-Hong Kong economic integration was first raised in the 1990s. The suggested integration was aimed at improving the flow of people, freight and information between the two cities and developing border areas.
Up to 87 percent of the 508 Shenzhen residents polled were in favor of spending more on cross-border infrastructure.
Among the industries that were considered to have the most potential for cross-border cooperation were finance, tourism, high-tech, education and culture, according to the survey.
The major obstacles facing the two cities in forging closer ties were thought to be discrepancies in their respective economic systems (47.2 percent), political systems (42.7 percent), social values (40.7 percent), historical and cultural background (34.3 percent), and development levels (32.5 percent).
Shen Jianfa, a professor at the CUHK who headed the survey, suggested Shenzhen and Hong Kong set up a multi-level cooperation platform to promote governmental and nongovernmental exchanges. By doing so, the two cities could enhance mutual trust, Shen said.
He also suggested that the two sides take care to strike a balance between long-term goals and short-term conflicts.
A similar survey conducted by the CUHK in March last year showed 69.8 percent of residents in Hong Kong supported the development of a Hong Kong-Shenzhen metropolis. "This is due to Hong Kong residents' recognition that Hong Kong-Shenzhen cooperation will have a positive impact on Hong Kong," the university said in its conclusion.
