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Opinion | Greater Bay Area: Hong Kong’s youth should grab the help and opportunities on offer
- Young people have been offered a choice of employment schemes and mentorship programmes – they ignore the potential of the Greater Bay Area at their own peril
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With a gross domestic product equivalent to that of South Korea, a region of over 72 million people, and a GDP per capita nearly twice that of the Chinese mainland, the Greater Bay Area affords tremendous opportunities to those willing to take advantage of them. The cluster of cities is made up of Hong Kong, Macau and nine others in Guangdong province, including Zhuhai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. Entrepreneurs and investors are salivating over this extraordinary gem of an opportunity.
Hong Kong is the most internationalised city in the Greater Bay Area with distinctive strengths, such as an open economy, independent rule of law, and being an international financial centre; we are uniquely positioned to reap the benefits of the Greater Bay Area’s immense market potential. However, that would require understanding the cross-border opportunities and capitalising on them.
Most of the businesspeople and expatriates I speak to are enthusiastic about the possibilities, with some saying the Greater Bay Area is why they are based in Hong Kong. Conversely, most of the young people I speak to about the Greater Bay Area are less than convinced due to a variety of factors, from a lack of understanding, a fear of being uncompetitive, a lack of know-how and knowledge, and a lack of trust.
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Some businesses and business leaders scarred by young people’s indifference and the 2019 protests have given up on them, labelling them the “lost generation”. These employers would rather hire mainlanders because they understand the Greater Bay Area better, have language skills and a “fire in the belly” that seems absent from many young Hongkongers. Yet how can we turn a blind eye to an entire generation?
I always tell young people that it is not necessary to be based on the mainland to harness the Greater Bay Area’s potential, though ignore the 72 million consumers at your peril, as they may well shape trends and drive demand in the coming years. One can choose whether to participate in the so-called onshore market of the mainland or the offshore financial and logistics activities of Hong Kong.
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Hong Kong can't miss Greater Bay Area boat in post-Covid-19 recovery, Victor Fung of Fung Group says
Hong Kong can't miss Greater Bay Area boat in post-Covid-19 recovery, Victor Fung of Fung Group says
There are numerous government, business and NGO schemes that aim to provide a helping hand to young people interested in engaging with the Greater Bay Area.
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