No reason to stay, no way to go for many of Hong Kong’s disillusioned young people
After studies showed many young people want to leave the city owing to politics and a lack of social mobility, experts say there is light at the end of the tunnel, as long as the government rights some major wrongs
Recent studies showing an alarming 40 per cent of people want to leave the city have renewed the debate on what makes Hong Kong an increasingly frustrating city to live in.
In particular, young people aged 18 to 30 were most unhappy with life, according to studies released last month by both Chinese University of Hong Kong and policy think tank Civic Exchange.
The findings are unnerving as young people are the city’s future, providing a key impetus for its dynamics.
Critics have pointed to the enormous sense of despair that engulfs Hong Kong as the key reason for people’s frustrations, which they believe have more to do with the city’s politics than its social and economic aspects.
To make matters worse, the harsh reality that only well-off families are able to put away some savings just adds to their woes and makes their dream of starting a new life elsewhere all the more unattainable.
A recent study by the Legislative Council on the financial challenges faced by Hong Kong households showed families earning below HK$35,500 a month would not be able to save with the city’s housing affordability the lowest among 367 leading cities in a global study.
