Reality catches up with cross-boundary truckers

Lau Nai-keung explains why developments over the last 20 years have changed the fortunes of some Hong Kong people whose work took them to the Chinese mainland

One of the most important principles of "One Country, Two System" is specified in Article 5 of the Basic Law, which guarantees that Hong Kong people's way of life should remain unchanged for 50 years.

In the days before the 20th anniversary of the handover, the Chinese language newspaper Wen Wei Po ran an interesting, colorful story. This was about changes in the way of life of Hong Kong's cross-boundary truck drivers over the past 20 years. It was great story but also shed light on why some Hong Kong people today may feel left behind.

The article recalls that in about 1997, when the Hong Kong logistics industry was at its peak, the city had around 15,000 container trucks and about 20,000 drivers. These cross-boundary container truck drivers earned at least HK$30,000 a month. This level of income let them not only raise a family in Hong Kong, but more often than not, families on the mainland.

As a result, "concubine villages" were formed in Shenzhen and beyond. Supporting a woman only cost 3,000 yuan in Shenzhen then - and HK$100 could exchanged for 140 yuan. The cross-boundary trucking trade was so lucrative (and concubines so affordable) that there were drivers who set up "homes away from home" in Shenzhen, Shantou and Dongguan.

But 20 years after the handover, there were only 7,000 trucks and 12,000 drivers left. Truckers' salaries have been halved. And HK$100 is now worth only 90 yuan. At the same time, the cost of supporting a concubine in Shenzhen has more than doubled.

This is a perfect case study for students of historical materialism. In 1997, cross-boundary trade and integration with the mainland was not as big an issue as it is today. Many Hong Kong people actually enjoyed it - as long as it was to their advantage.

Indeed, Hong Kong truck drivers are not the only group of people who have seen their fortunes reduced. As an outcome and in the process of the mainland's opening-up and Hong Kong's factories moving north, there were also many Hong Kong people managing manufacturing facilities around the Pearl River Delta region 20 years ago. These managers stayed on the mainland on weekdays and returned to their families in Hong Kong at weekends. Long distances between home and work and the extended time away from home were not ideal but it was acceptable because the pay was good.

Why have the circumstances of these Hong Kong people changed? Was it inevitable because of the almighty invisible hand? Or was it because of some intentional and deliberate policy choices?

A Marxist theorist might reject the liberal economics explanation in favor of one based on political economy. After all, the yuan was still not freely convertible. There is no reason why the central government cannot maintain it at the level where Hong Kong truck drivers could keep their way of life unchanged and still support their concubines.

Building and strengthening mainland ports in the Pearl River Delta was similarly not a coincidence. In fact, these were specified in the country's five-year plans. Everything went according to plan. The fate of Hong Kong truck drivers was planned obsolescence, so to speak.

But don't get me wrong. I do not support the practice of keeping concubines. I also do not think it is fair that the yuan has to remain weak (and mainland's cost of living to remain low) so Hong Kong people can keep having affordable massages in Luohu as they did 20 years ago.

What I am trying to say is that it is impossible to stop time and freeze a "way of life". Even if it were possible we should not do it, because history did not end 20 years ago. We all have to move on toward a better future.

At the same time, we should not be surprised that some Hong Kong people are upset because their way of life changed - and for the worse. Our refusal to acknowledge this reality will only make them feel neglected and desperate.

(HK Edition 06/07/2017 page8)