A presentation made by HKU social science department on the topic of Civic Engagement

1. Civic Engagement in the Policy
Process in Hong Kong
Peter T.Y. Cheung
Dept. of Politics & Public Admin.
University of Hong Kong
Korea University July 12, 2013

2. Contents
I. What is civic/public engagement? Competing
views on civic engagement
II. Hong Kong’s experience in civic engagement
III. Prospects of civic engagement in Hong Kong

3. Unpacking Civic Engagement
• Ben Berger (2009): the concept is overstretched. As it
stands, it encompasses political, social, and moral
engagements (p. 305)
• Political engagement- “attention to and activity in
political processes and affairs” needs not necessarily
lead to economic and government efficiency, or life
satisfaction, legitimacy (p. 344-5).
• Political engagement refers to any “activity that is
intended to or has the consequences of affecting,
either directly or indirectly, government action” (Verba,
Schlozman and Brady, 1995)
3

4. Definition of Civic Engagement (CE)
• an organized process where a government has
taken the initiative to involve citizens in all
stages of policy development, from
identification of problems, to clarification of
values and interests, development of policy
alternatives and prioritization of proposals
Centre for Civil Society and Governance (2007)
4

5. Civic Engagement and Good Governance
• Most studies tended to consider CE as critical to good governance
• OECD (2009): public engagement is a condition for effective
governance.
“open and inclusive policy making increases government accountability,
broadens citizens’ influence on decisions and builds civic capacity. A the
same time, it improves the evidence base for policy making, reduces
implementation costs and taps wider networks for innovation in policy
making and service delivery.”
But there are skeptics who argue effective governance is not
necessarily an outcome resulting from civic engagement. Many other
factors are required.
5

6. Civic Engagement in the HK Context
• CE supplements other forms of political participation in
a democratic polity.
• CE channels demands for participation and allow for
more popular input into policy making in the HK
context, and hence also strengthens legitimacy of the
policy process.
• However, CE could not resolve the problems of a semi-
democratic polity or the “disarticulated” or fragmented
political system.
• CE is also not fully embraced by the HKSAR
government, even after 2006-7 and its adoption varies
significantly across policy areas.
6

7. HKU definition:
Civic/public participation
• Public or citizen participation refers to
the activities taken by citizens, whether
in their individual capacity or as an
organized group, to influence policy-
making and implementation processes.
Centre for Civil Society and Governance, the University of Hong Kong, “From Consultation to
Civic Engagement: The Road to Better Policy-making and Governance in Hong Kong”
7

8. II. Hong Kong’s Experience in Civic
Engagement
Legacies of the pre-1997 system:
• “Executive-led” Political System
• Relatively powerless LegCo
• “Administrative Absorption of Politics”
• Weak Civil Society
8

9. Conventional Mechanisms for Public
Participation in the Policy Process in Hong Kong
A. District Bodies: District Councils (e.g.
abolition of municipal councils;
reinstatement of appointed members)
B. Advisory and Statutory Bodies: 435
C. Public Consultation Exercises: 226 (1997-
2009)
9

10. The Political Impasse after 1997
• Impossibility of an “Executive-Led” System
• Lack of support in LegCo and tense executive-
legislative relations
• Lack of strong electoral mandate
• Emergence of populist forces in LegCo
• Insufficient channels to engage an increasingly vocal
civil society
• Ineffectiveness of the existing advisory bodies
10

11. No. of public consultations conducted by the
HKSAR government
Year No. Year No.
1997 2 2004 36
1998 9 2005 17
1999 22 2006 14
2000 12 2007 20
2001 26 2008 9
2002 24 2009 9
2003 26
Total: 226
11
Source: Compiled from http://www.gov.hk/en/residents/government/publication/consultation/index.htm

12. Reorientation of the HKSAR Government’s Civic
Engagement Strategy
• Why? July 1 demonstration against Article 23
• A series of protests, especially over development
and planning: anti-reclamation of Victoria Harbor
in 2003-04, demolition of the Star Ferry Pier in late
2006 and the Queen’s Pier in 2007, anti-high speed
rail in 2009….
• Leadership changes: From Tung to Donald Tsang
and support of the top official, namely the
Secretary for Development, Mrs. Carrie Lam
• Awakening of civil society and the rise of assertive
civil society groups and activists
12

13. Protests over Queen’s Pier demolition
(2007)
13

14. Protests over Queen’s Pier (2007)
14

15. Protests over Queen’s Pier demolition
(2007)
15

16. Reorientation of the HKSAR Government’s Civic
Engagement Strategy
Emerging Participatory Processes
• (a) decentralization of more power to District
Councils to manage local affairs (2008)
• (b) advisory mechanisms active in policy
advocacy were tolerated by the government.
Examples: the Harborfront Enhancement
Committee (the HEC) and the Council for
Sustainable Development
16

17. • (c) more advisory committees had been created to
explore policy alternatives and to achieve consensus.
Examples: Consultative Committee on the Core Arts
and Cultural Facilities of the West Kowloon Cultural
District and the Steering Committee on Review of the
Urban Renewal Strategy.
17
Reorientation of the HKSAR Government’s Civic
Engagement Strategy

18. Reorientation of the HKSAR Government’s Civic
Engagement Strategy
• (d) targeting the middle class, the Government
established an Internet-based Public Affairs Forum
in March 2005.
• (e) revitalization and expansion of the Commission
for Strategic Development as a high level advisory
body in the agenda setting stage (2005): 153
members (though later retrenched in 2007)
18

19. The Politics of Civic Engagement in Planning and
Heritage Conservation
• Planning and heritage: the battle ground for
contesting visions of Hong Kong’s development
model, protection of public space and citizen rights,
and legitimacy of its political system
• Civil society groups opposing the emphasis on
development over heritage preservation in the
Government’s policy and the dominance of
property developers in Hong Kong’s political
economy
19

20. Lei Tung Street (Wedding Card Street,2006)
20

21. 21

22. Hong Kong’s Experience in Civic Engagement
• New public engagement processes:
These new initiatives have become more
popular in the last few years, partly in
response to increasing demands from
civil society groups that are critical of
government policies.

23. • These new exercises were carried out by
the government, advisory committees or
statutory bodies. Aside from requiring
more time for deliberation, they were
also more demanding in terms of human
and material resources required.
Hong Kong’s Experience in Civic Engagement

24. Hong Kong’s Experience in Civic Engagement
• Different stages, including exhibitions, public
forums, focus meetings, community
workshops etc., will be followed, such as the
engagement exercises carried out by the
Harbour-front Enhancement Committee and
the Council for Sustainable Development.
Another important example is the
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIAs).

25. The Politics of Civic Engagement in Planning and
Heritage Conservation
• Kai Tak Planning Review: a success of planning
in partnership with the community under the
HEC (2004-06)
• Kwun Tong Town Centre Redevelopment (2005-
07)
• Urban Renewal Strategy Review (2008-10)
• Sustainable Development and Environment
(since 2003)
25

26. I. Population Policy (Council for
Sustainable Development)
II. Solid Waste Management(Council for
Sustainable Development)
III. Kai Tak Planning Review (Harbourfront
Enhancement Committee)
26
Cases of Effective Public
Engagement

27. Kai Tak Planning Review
The Case of the Harbour-front Enhancement
Committee (共建維港委員會)
(http://www.harbourfront.org.hk/hec/eng/in
dex.html?s=1)

28. 28

29. III. The Prospect of Civic Engagement in
Hong Kong
1. There is a great deal of continuities in the
institutional mechanisms for civic engagement
after 1997. Changes began only after 2003
when the HKSARG felt that its authority had
declined significantly.
Does the Government believe in engaging the
public?
29

30. III. The Prospect of Civic Engagement in
Hong Kong
2. Conventional modes of public consultation and
participation are ineffective.
It is inconceivable that the Government can
achieve strong governance without building up a
strong partnership with civil society groups and
carrying out effective civic engagement.
30

31. III. The Prospect of Civic Engagement in
Hong Kong
3. The past few years witnesses the
emergence of new public engagement
processes over policy issues such as the
environment and planning. They have
gone beyond the traditional forms of
consultation.
Will the government continue to encourage
and support effective civic engagement in
future? 31

32. III. The Prospect of Civic Engagement
in Hong Kong
4. There is a strong need to consider civic
engagement along with genuine democratic
political reform, which helps to enhance
interest aggregation, consensus building,
legitimacy and competitive politics.