Mainland Chinese immigrants to Hong Kong risk living ‘in own little worlds’, researcher says
Recent arrivals risk living 'in their own little worlds', survey finds, as many cannot get jobs or feel discriminated against by Hongkongers
New immigrants from the mainland risk living "in their own little worlds", a researcher warned, after a survey showed more than 90 per cent of them had not taken part in any community activities in half a year.
The study, conducted from September to January, also found that only 12 per cent of 1,038 respondents questioned in person believed they were Hongkongers, compared to 42 per cent who said they were Chinese and 33 per cent who considered themselves Hong Kong people in China.
Although almost 80 per cent said they could speak fluent Cantonese, only 60 per cent used the local dialect in their daily lives.
Researchers at the Institute of Education said the survey showed that many new immigrants had not integrated into local society, probably due to their jobless status, their feeling of being discriminated against, and the government's lack of a "proactive policy" to boost mutual communication between newcomers and locals.
"How the new immigrants see their identity will affect how they bring up their children," said Isabella Ng Fung-sheung, principal investigator of the study and lecturer at the institute's department of Asian and policy studies.
"With the ageing population and low birth rate in Hong Kong, these children are important for the city's future development."