This book carries decades of academic observations and the author’s personal political experience. It reviews and refects on the past trajectory of governance and administration, identifying strengths and capabilities as well as constraints and vulnerabilities of Hong Kong as a polity and society, while charting its course of ‘exceptionalism’ within a new context and under changing conditions.Hong Kong under British rule was a prime example of exceptionalism in many aspects —economic, political, and even social. It was governed under a colonial structure and yet had enjoyed a large degree of social and economic freedom, as well as fiscal self-sufficiency and autonomy from London. After returning to Chinese rule in 1997, Hong Kong has continued to thrive as a relatively resilient city-state still known for efficiency andeffectiveness despite tensions and scepticism about its political future.This book carries decades of academic observations and the author's personal political experienc
