The second Division of Business and Management (DBM) High Table Dinner of the semester was held on 6 November 2019. Chairman of Hong Kong’s Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority, Dr David Wong Yau-kar, was invited to give a speech that was titled ‘The Trade War and the Outlook for the GBA’. 

Other high table guests who attended the dinner, included UIC Vice President (Students and General Affairs) Prof Cong Zhang, Associate Vice President Prof George Wei, Academic Registrar Prof Jianhui Li, Dean of DBM Prof Stella Cho, Associate Dean of DBM Prof Wilson Li, as well as Associate Dean of DBM Dr Donna Chan. 

(from left) Dr Donna Chan, Prof Jianhui Li, Prof Stella Cho, Dr David Wong, Prof Cong Zhang, Prof George Wei, Prof Wilson Li

Chairperson Prof Stella Cho gives an introduction

Besides being the Chairman of Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority, Dr David Wong is also the Hong Kong Deputy of The National People’s Congress, as well as the Chairman of DBM Advisory Committee. He previously served as an Economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, and has since worked in various industries including corporate finance, manufacturing and trading. 

Prof Cong Zhang presents a souvenir to Dr David Wong 

In his speech, Dr Wong explained to the students about the economic knowledge involved in the US-China trade war, such as trade deficit and tariff. He also said that tariffs are a microeconomic policy tool which cannot be used to solve a macroeconomic problem. He then analysed the multiple objectives behind the trade war, and talked about what would happen next.

When asked whether the trade war will slow down or accelerate the internationalization of the RMB, Dr Wong said that although in short term, the trade war is slowing down the pace of Chinese economic development and affecting the internationalisation of the RMB, in the long run, it might push China to be more independent. China’s GDP growth rate in 2020 will still be quite high compared to developed countries, as the world’s largest trading nation, China will be able to develop its economy despite setbacks.

Dr David Wong answers student's question 

Under the current complex situation, the people working in the technology sector, a crucial industry according to Dr Wong, will have to make decisions of which side to take. Since a lot of ethnic Chinese academics, scientists feel that their future in the US is doomed, there has been an increase of them willing to relocate in China. At this specific time, the Guangdong-Hong Kong- Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) plays a very important role.

Students and teachers raising questions to Dr David Wong

Students also put in excellent performances after the sharing sessions. Year 3 Management of Human Resources student Jiadian Sui and Year 2 Applied Translation Studies student Qianqi Ma presented a musical performance called ‘The Deep Night’. Qianqi Ma then joined Year 1 Accounting student Fengyuan Gao as well as Year 3 Media Arts and Design student Yiwei Zhao to perform ‘The Reason Why’.

Performance 'The Deep Night'

Performace 'The Reason Why'

In his closing remark, Zihan Zhou, a Year 4 Marketing Management student, shared his experience about studying at UIC and how he started as a team leader before becoming a campus entrepreneur.

Zihan Zhou shares his experience

Reporter: Covee Wang
Photographer: Chen Qianyue (Year 2 Media Arts and Design)
Editors: Samuel Burgess, Deen He, Lauren Richardson
(from MPRO)