An Attitudinal Survey of Foreign Investors in Hong Kong: What are the Implications to the Southeast Asian Countries?

Abstract

Hong Kong reached a turning point in its history at the end of September 1984. The results of the secret Sino-British negotiations which had spanned nearly two years were formally announced. The issue which had dominated the city and caught the limelight of the world was the political future of Hong Kong after 1997. Hong Kong is a crossroad of the East and West. It is a favourite loca tional choice for foreign investors and has become the regional centre for trade, industry, banking, and communications. As a major trading centre and with large stakes of foreign investment in the city, the results and implications of the Sino British negotiations naturally draw the attention of governments and citizens of many countries as well. This paper reports on the results of an attitudinal survey of foreign manu facturing investors in Hong Kong. Based on these results, inferences are drawn on the implications to the businessmen, particularly ethnic Chinese businessmen in Southeast Asian countries consequent on the political changeover of Hong Kong after 1997.