高錕膺諾獎，香港宜自省(二) / Nobel Award should set off soul-searching in Hong Kong (2)

高錕膺諾獎，香港宜自省(二) 郭位	Nobel Award should set off soul-searching in Hong Kong (2) Way Kuo
科技提升社會福祉	Technology fosters social well-being
港人善於理財、精於盈利，無可厚非；然而僅此之圖，則生財之道略嫌單薄。本港的大學，在困難環境下排名不錯、成果有限；因政府扶持乏力，不少研究專利落入境外企業之手，大學科研成果與對香港的科研回饋脫節，未能為本港所利用。	Hongkongers have a flair for handling money, and the local economy is highly reliant on financial industry. Yet, an economy based on financial industry alone can hardly be a strong one. Hong Kong government has been sparing with funding for local universities’ research in science and technology. For lack of funds, many patented products born of local research efforts have ended up in the hands of enterprises outside of the territory rather than benefiting the local community.
說到利用科技成果，眾人往往只見產品可以謀利，未能了解科技發展對推動社會福利的長遠效果。 眾所周知，當前香港社會的貧富差距甚鉅，金融業、房地產業雖稱繁榮，鮮能直接造福大眾，而貧富分化，微弱的中產階級早成社會失衡的隱憂。 發展科技業，正好可以彌補產業結構單一的缺失，有助於改善社會生態，造福眾生。以香港金融業的建全基礎，對高科技的經營也必然能達事半功倍的效果。以台灣為例：台灣的高科技蓬勃發展，帶動了其他產業升級，催生了人數眾多的中產階級。	Talking of products born of research, people are apt to look at the monetary value the new inventions could reap from the market. Yet one should give greater emphasis to the social progress and long-term well-being for people that are boosted by advances in science and technology. Hong Kong is known for its wide rich-and-poor gap. The wealth generated in its thriving finance and real estate industries has failed to benefit the broad masses. Hong Kong is under threat from social unrest caused by the widening wealth gap coupled with a weakening middle class, which is worrying. One antidote to the tendency can be found in new-born high-tech industries, as shown in the success story of Taiwan in the past decades. The island’s hi-tech industries have brought about upgrades in other branches of economy and hence the steady growth of a strong middle class, which translates into higher income and better life for the general population.
香港政府最近推出發展六大產業的策略，其中包括創新科技。要大力扶持科技發展，就必須制定相關政策，引導投資，尤其是高科技及具有前瞻性領域的投資。除資源外，還須有眼光、魄力，拿出決心辦實事。 去年，美國正當金融風暴、財政困頓之時，反而大量加碼投資橡樹嶺國家實驗室的科研經費。此所以美國以科技立國屢創高峰的主因之一。 香港雖然錯失扶持高錕、就地發展光纖通訊的機會，但科技發展是日新月異的事業，不但當前有能源、環保等亟待解決的課題，今後還會出現今日尚無從預測的新興領域，如果肯投入，以港人的資質與完善的制度，香港還是有希望在金融之外再創榮景。	Hong Kong government has recently proposed to develop six key industries, including one of “innovative technology”. To bring that initiative to fruition, the authorities have to draw up policies and implement them to attract investment into hi-tech industries, particularly those with long-term potentials. Resources are indispensable, but more importantly the authorities must make up their mind for down-to-earth work. Our leaders may learn something from what the Americans are doing. Last year, despite the financial tsunami that badly hit the economy, the US government has greatly increased – not decreased – funding for research projects at the famous Oak Ridge National Laboratory. This highlights a striking feature of the mechanism for developing science and technology that has helped make the US a great power. True, Hong Kong missed a golden chance of making a profitable use of Kao’s great invention. Yet, fortunately science and technology never cease to advance. Today we are faced with such pressing issues as energy shortage and polluted environment that clamour for solution, while the future is yet to bring us new areas of science unpredictable today. With their intelligence and the helpful social milieu, so long as Hongkongers are willing to put in great efforts, their home city stands yet another good chance of achieving prosperity in more fields than just the financial industry.
反思	Soul-searching needed
高錕的諾貝爾獎，除印證了華人才智出眾之外，是否更帶給港人在教育與高科技投資上又一個反省的機會？	The Nobel Prize awarded to Prof Kao will be more meaningful to Hongkongers if it can trigger their soul-searching about topics of education and investment – into high technology. (Translated by Allen Zhuang)
參閱：高錕膺諾獎，香港宜自省(一) Also see: Nobel Award should set off soul-searching in Hong Kong (1)
[源文初載《明報》(2009-12-02)，作者署名“椅子”；復載於香港城市大學網頁之“校長網誌”(2010-04-22，有刪簡，附加英譯). / Source text was published in Ming Pao Daily (Dec 2, 2009), then posted along with an English version on “Way to Kuo Blog” of City University of Hong Kong website (2010-04-22). ]