China wants Hong Kong to integrate with the Greater Bay Area, but can it convince young talent and employers it’s a good idea?
- Employment exchanges between Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area are not living up to potential, despite Beijing’s grand plan to create a southern economic hub
- Hongkongers are put off jobs in the region due to lower wages, while mainland employers are reluctant to hire from the city because of the expense and hassle
Two years ago, in a speech celebrating Shenzhen’s 40th anniversary as a special economic zone, President Xi Jinping called on more young Hongkongers to work, study and live in mainland China.
Creating a vast commercial hub, taking in Shenzhen’s tech prowess and Hong Kong’s financial services, has eye-watering economic potential.
But behind the high-level rhetoric, companies and jobseekers say there is a long way to go before employment exchanges reach their full potential.
Many Hongkongers are put off by lower wages in the mainland, while employers in southern China are reluctant to hire from the special administrative region because of the expense and hassle.
I am worried about friction at work
Both sides say different attitudes between Hongkongers and mainlanders also pose a challenge.