"If you look at the big picture," says Tam, "Hong Kong's economic role has always been determined for it. From the days of British rule down to the present, it hasn't had the right to decide for itself." He notes that this is one of the principal characteristics of a colonial economy.
「整體來說，從港英到今天，香港的經濟角色一直是被指定的，香港本身並沒有決定權，」譚自強表示，這正是「殖民地經濟」的宿命。