Opinion | Hong Kong must deepen links with Shenzhen to retain and attract talent

  • From convincing Chinese tech giants to move their headquarters to Hong Kong to capitalising on the Northern Metropolis’ strategic location, there is much the city can do as part of the Greater Bay Area
  • Hong Kong must also reckon with young people’s changed career expectations and ensure they have the skills to access opportunities

A view of skyscrapers in Shenzhen beyond residential buildings in Hong Kong on June 24. Photo: Bloomberg
While President Xi Jinping’s July 1 visit to Hong Kong was a clear sign of the city’s enduring importance to the central government and to China as a whole, the emigration of some 25,000 primary and secondary students in the 2020/21 academic year, according to local media estimates, casts a shadow over Hong Kong’s future prospects.
Still, some 6 or 7 million people remain in Hong Kong with no immediate plans to leave, and we must keep it that way. Indeed, if we strive to make Hong Kong a more liveable city with greater work opportunities, we will not only improve quality of life for those already here, but bring back our lost local and overseas talent.
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