Made in Hong Kong: Trans-Pacific Networks and a New History of Globalization

★How did the “cross-business strategy” take shape in modern China?
★How will the “cross-business strategy” gradually move southward and bear fruit in Hong Kong?
★How did the "cross-business strategy" use British Hong Kong to radiate its influence outward, broker relations between China and the United States, and assist the United States in establishing its post-World War II global capitalist system?

Made in Hong Kong: A New History of Trans-Pacific Networks and Globalization rewrites trans-Pacific history with Hong Kong as its center. This book mainly discusses two points:

First, Hong Kong's social development after World War II was significantly influenced by the United States. After World War II, Hong Kong society had already begun a process of "informal decolonization" during the British colonial era through "Americanization";

Second, Hong Kong played a crucial role in the development of the global political and economic system after World War II. The spread and application of cutting-edge American business knowledge, the reconfiguration of transnational production supply chains, and even the establishment and strengthening of Sino-US relations all benefited from Hong Kong's influence. Yet, this role of Hong Kong has often been overlooked by commentators.

The key to Hong Kong's role stems from two major factors: Hong Kong's "cross-border business strategy" and the political and economic needs of the United States during the Cold War.

The origins of "cross-border business" can be traced back to the 19th century. At that time, members of wealthy Jiangnan merchant families often attended American missionary schools in China and subsequently studied abroad in the United States. After the Communist Party of China came to power in 1949, many of these Chinese elites migrated south to Hong Kong, rebuilding their businesses there. Their American education made it easy for them to access the necessary funding, knowledge, intelligence, and even sales networks from relevant American channels. It can be said that without approaching the issue of American social capital, it is impossible to fully understand the history of Hong Kong's industrial development, or even the history of Hong Kong's role in bridging Sino-US relations. Driven by the political and economic needs of the United States after World War II, American missionaries in China, who also migrated south to Hong Kong, as well as American businesses and chambers of commerce, joined forces with elite "trans-business" immigrants in Hong Kong. They utilized American resources to establish schools, housing, and community training centers in Hong Kong, while also radiating Hong Kong's influence abroad. This helped Hong Kong leap from a "Third World" to a "First World," and even helped guide China's integration into the global system. Simultaneously, this spread American economic influence, helping to shape the new global capitalist system centered on the United States.

"Made in Hong Kong: A New History of Trans-Pacific Networks and Globalization" is a rare research masterpiece that combines local political and economic development with international relations. It is a model of looking back at local stories from a cross-domain perspective.

2024-02-07

季風帶文化有限公司

556

9786269672271