unit 13: relocating our industries in other parts of south china these industries mainly include: ...

Unit 13: Relocating our industries in other parts of South China

These industries mainly include:

Electronics Clothing Toys Plastics

Dyeing Leather-tanning

(A) What types of industries have moved?

– Need a lot of workers – Are labour-intensive industr

ies

– Need a lot of water and discharge wastes which pollute the environment

– Are offensive industries

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The industries mainly moved to:

The Shenzhen Special Economic Zone

Guangzhou

Dongguan

The Zhuhai Special Economic Zone

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(B) Why have our factories moved to other parts of South China?3 main reasons:

All these advantages make the cost of production in other parts of South China much lower than in Hong Kong.

Close to Hong Kong

Plenty of labour and land

Less costly on waste treatment

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Close to Hong Kong Those special economic zones are in the ZhuJiang Delta. They are well linked to Hong Kong by roads and railways

They have good communications with Hong Kong

Hence, the factory owners find it convenient in managing their factories, controlling the quality of products and transporting products and raw materials.

Next BackRailway

Main road

Town or city

km

Key:


Plenty of labour and land

The South China areas have plentiful labour and land.

The wages of workers and the cost of land for building factories are low.

Factory owners find it easy to hire plentiful labour as well as to build and expand their factories.

The total production cost is low.

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Less costly on waste treatment

In Hong Kong, there are strict laws on environmental protections.

Hence, the treatment of industrial waste in Hong Kong is very expensive.

The cost on industrial waste treatment in other parts of South China is much lower.

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(C) What can Hong Kong gain?

4 gains:

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New business

High-technology industries

Land for other uses

Less pollution


New business

Although many labour-intensive and offensive industries have moved to other parts of South China, they still give Hong Kong new business as they need the services of Hong Kong.

These important service activities include:

– Transport

– Finance

– Communications

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High-technology industries

Most of our workers are well educated and skilled.

They prefer better paid jobs which require high technology.

High-technology industries can possibly replace the declining labour intensive industries.

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Land for other uses

In Hong Kong, land is insufficient.

As factories have moved, more sites can be redeveloped for residential, commercial and other uses.

Congestion is reduced. The living environment is improved.

Commercial activities can have more space for development.

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Less pollution

The decrease in the number of factories means less factory wastes are being produced in Hong Kong.

This helps improve our environment.

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(D) What are Hong Kong’s losses?

3 losses:

Fall in manufacturing industries

Unemployment

Labour disputes

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Fall in manufacturing industries

The percentage of our total income earned by manufacturing sector is getting smaller and smaller since 1990.

In 1990, it was 18%. In 1997, it fell to 7.2%. The economy structure is changed. The service industry has

substituted the role of the manufacturing industry in Hong Kong.

The number of workers employed in the service industry is 7 times to those employed in the manufacturing industry.

The importance of the manufacturing industries to our economy is falling. Hong Kong will lose one of the most important sources of income.

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Unemployment Many workers lose their jobs as factories close down

and move to other parts of South China.

Those working in business relating to manufacturing industries also lose their jobs, like transport business.

Unemployment has become a serious problem in our society.

1.3%

3.2%

5.5%

0.0%

1.0%

2.0%

3.0%

4.0%

5.0%

6.0%

1990 1995 1998

Unemploymentrate

Unemployment rate in Hong Kong

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Labour disputes

The wages of factory workers have fallen since there are fewer jobs for them.

Labour disputes become more common. This may lead to social unrest and affect the living of the general public.

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Terms to learn:

Relocate a factory - move a factory to another area

Offensive industry - an industry producing wastes which damage the environment

Treatment of factory wastes - making wastes of a factory less harmful to the environment

High-technology industry - an industry that requires modern technology and skilled workers, e.g. electronics industry. Also written as hi-tech industry

Labour dispute - quarrel between factory owners and workers

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unit 13: relocating our industries in other parts of south china these industries mainly include: ...

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