abstract:Positive non-interventionism was the economic policy of Hong Kong; this policy can be traced back to the time when Hong Kong was under British rule. It was first officially implemented in 1971 by John Cowperthwaite, who observed that the economy was doing well in the absence of government intervention but it was important to create the regulatory and physical infrastructure to facilitate market-based decision making.
The government promises businesses support but no interference - a policy of "positive non-interventionism" vital to its role as a financial and trading center.
"The so-called policy of positive non-interventionism before the handover was actually a policy of no commitment and no planning, " says Tsang Shu-ki, economics professor at Hong Kong Baptist University.