Both Hong Kong’s economy and its people are an important component of China’s ambitious plan for the Pearl River Delta region. Hong Kong still offers plenty of opportunities for its residents and continues to draw international talent.
While I agree with Xiaofei Xu (“Hong Kong favours the wealthy and outsiders. Young people should give the Greater Bay Area a chance”, August 25
) that the mainland should not be seen as an enemy, that does not mean young people should give up on Hong Kong – one does not exclude the other. In fact, the prosperity of Hong Kong only boosts that of China.
First, the Greater Bay Area is not an alternative to Hong Kong per se, as suggested by Xu. Rather, the city is an important component of the project, and that includes not only its economy, but the entire society that stands behind it. For instance, the impact of the current situation in Hong Kong is already being felt economically in Macau – we are all interconnected.
The Greater Bay Area Plan
The Pearl River Delta in China's south has grown from an agricultural area in 1980 to Asia's largest and most populous urban area.
Secondly, I strongly disagree that Hong Kong is made for outsiders. Most jobs nowadays (being born in the West, I’d know) require candidates to be proficient in Cantonese, English and Mandarin, qualifications almost only locals could achieve. This isn’t just in the finance industry but also with other professional services, such as property developers or trading. Expats complement local workers, fostering Hong Kong’s multicultural environment, which helps sustain its position as Asia’s world city.
Also, local university graduates have good employability, as exemplified in the medical and legal fields, which still command enviable salaries. Finally, the fact that Hongkongers who study abroad have returned to work in the city only highlights its allure. Those graduates add value to the city by bringing in international experience.
Indeed, there are issues to resolve, such as the living conditions of the working class, but that is not a reason to give up. Hong Kong has undergone tough periods during its history, but it pulled through because of the persistence of its people. When the 1997 Asian financial crisis and the 2003 Severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) outbreak occurred, the people held it together.
The worst is yet to come for the economy, but if the people lay the foundations for the future now, we will be able to cushion the impact and move forward faster. If one is to be atop the Lion Rock again, it’s important to start climbing now, but we can only do it together. Irreducible positions from any side make it impossible to achieve any balance.