Opinion | Population growth not enough for John Lee to declare ‘happy Hong Kong’ job done

While population growth is encouraging, officials must remember that retaining the talent they have attracted requires addressing many long-running issues

Unaffordable housing, long working hours, poor support for families, falling birth rates and more will keep new talent from putting down roots in Hong Kong

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Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu receives a red carpet reception upon his arrival in Kuala Lumpur on July 27. Lee and his administration have made attracting global talent and promoting Hong Kong abroad high priorities, but many pressing concerns about life in the city remain unaddressed. Photo: Information Services Department handout

Published: 2:30pm, 20 Aug 2023

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s result-oriented administration appears to be delivering, at least looking at some of the latest figures released by the Census and Statistics Department. Hong Kong’s population saw a net one-year rise of more than 150,000 people in the year to mid-2023.

Lee vowed during his policy address last October to deploy a series of measures including tax breaks and looser visa rules as part of efforts to scour the world for talent. Reopening the border with the mainland and enacting schemes to attract talent to the city seem to have made up for the many families that have packed up and left for greener pastures.

The government said last month that it had approved more than 60 per cent of the more than 100,000 applications for its various talent schemes. Things appear to be looking up for Lee as he prepares for his second policy address. While he might not have good stories to tell yet, he at least has some good numbers to show.

Hong Kong is still struggling to recover from its self-imposed isolation during the Covid-19 pandemic as well as dealing with the aftermath of years of social unrest. The city’s food and catering sector is suffering from a bad summer slump with many residents going abroad or heading across the border during school holidays and many travellers watching their spending.

Even those who have stayed in the city are not spending their days off here. This could just be “revenge travel” as people rush to get out after being cooped up in the same place for the past three years.

I hope those who have set their sights on moving to Hong Kong find it a good place for them to settle down for good – hopefully with their families. We are stuck in a bit of a rut at the moment, but the city still has a great deal to offer.

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