More Hongkongers are visiting, working and living in mainland China

He was unfamiliar with many electronic payments used in mainland China. He was not on WeChat. He had to adjust to the fast-paced work culture of his mainland colleagues. He had to learn their slang and jokes. He also had to explain Hong Kong healthcare to people on the mainland.

Now, he leads a team of nine people, conducts trainings and manages operations for the group’s clinics. He also takes mainland medical staff on exchanges to Hong Kong.

“I see myself playing a bridging role between Hong Kong and the mainland,” he said. “I have been doing my part and contributing to Hong Kong’s integration into the Greater Bay Area.”

The bay area is made up of Hong Kong, Macau, and nine •cities in •Guangdong. About five years ago, Beijing revealed its blueprint to turn the area into a hi-tech economic hub. By 2035, it hopes to be similar to California’s Silicon Valley, where many US tech companies are based.

Hongkongers are slowly recognising the bay area’s massive opportunities.

The Hong Kong government is also trying to make it easier for people and goods to move across the border. For example, it has built a new cross-border checkpoint and has made it easier for Hong Kong vehicles to travel north.

Hongkongers made more than 53 million trips across the border last year.

According to China’s census, more than 371,000 Hongkongers were living on the mainland in 2021. This was about 5 per cent of Hong Kong’s population that year.

But experts said Hong Kong needed to do more to take advantage of all the opportunities in the bay area. They said the city must speed up its creation of new industries. Otherwise, it could lose its advantage over cities on the mainland.

Question prompts:

1. What role does Lim see himself playing in Hong Kong’s integration into the Greater Bay Area?
A. leading a medical team in Shenzhen
B. managing a healthcare start-up in Hong Kong
C. bridging the gap between Hong Kong and the mainland
D. explaining Hong Kong healthcare to locals in Shenzhen

2. What have experts said about Hong Kong’s role in the Greater Bay Area? What does the city need to do, and why?

Question prompt:

1. Why are people in the illustration heading to the Greater Bay Area from Hong Kong?

Question prompts:

1. What message might the cartoon be trying to show about Hong Kong’s future?

2. What do you think about China’s hi-tech plans for the Greater Bay Area? What role can Hong Kong play?

News article

1. C

2. Experts say Hong Kong has been slow to integrate into the GBA. It needs to do more to take full advantage of opportunities in the region, such as speeding up the development of new industries

Illustration 1

The sign that says “Hiring now!” suggests the people in the illustration are heading to the Greater Bay Area to seek employment opportunities.

Illustration 2

1. The cartoon shows that although there are many opportunities in the Greater Bay Area, there are still hurdles to overcome.

2. I am hopeful about China’s plan to grow the GBA into a hi-tech zone, as the government has put a lot of time and effort into developing the region. However, I am unsure about Hong Kong’s role, as the local government has been slower to develop infrastructure and other facilities across the border. (accept all reasonable answers)