Hong Kong's expat exodus - and the influx of mainland Chinese

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[mackyj]

What made HK unique was it was a mix of West and East, now its competing with other big cities like Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen..so its competitive advantage is lost.

It's not just HK and mainland. Many western Asian headquarters that were in Hong Kong have now moved to Singapore for example. Hong Kong was richest place in China when it was given to PRC in 1997. Now it's still rich but left behind by many tier 1 cities in PRC. Hong Kong was on par with Singapore back then, now way behind.

[rayMan-tqdo]

Been here since 1996, the only place I feel at home, it doesn't matter for me how Hong Kong changes. I am not leaving. People come and go, that's life.

[fajarliong]

For me, "my mats have to be filled". That's realistic and pragmatic business strategy, no question about that.

[DonYang]

this is what happens when rents and property move quicker than they should. HK properties should be priced another 25% lower than it should today

[chinoyhouse]

Most of my friends are moving to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore City. I’m moving there in February 2025 as substantial divisions of Major international business are moving outside HK.

[rjona]

I worked in HK in 2001, then moved to SG when it was still cheap in 2004 then moved to Shanghai 10 yrs later. Lots of changes expecially when i visited HK a few times after. Star ferry terminal moved. Lots of new buildings. My old apartment in Kennedy town was torn down and there was shiny new apartment there. The MTR reaches there now. Cities always change. Some move in, some move out. Life goes on

[parmentier]

In 2010 I did an internship in Hong Kong for a year. It was one of the best times of my life. Besides a nice job there was also a vibrant nightlife. Met a lot of nice and young people from different cultures, Europeans, Indians, Americans, Russians, Southeast Asians and Hong Kongers. Around that period the influx of mainland Chinese also started. I also noticed this in the behavior, in terms of politeness there is a visible difference between Hong Kongers and mainland Chinese. The mainland Chinese are nice, but much more focused on their own society and less on other ethnic cultures. But that is also fine, because after all HK belongs to China, so it is a Chinese city. But I do think that it will become less cosmopolitan and more of a homogeneous city than other Chinese cities. And honestly, I think that mainland Chinese are quite racist. But maybe it is more because other cultures in China are unknown to them.

[RiseOfAsia]

CNA, do one for Singapore's expat exodus - and the influx of Malaysian

[ddnn]

Just look at the rows of empty shop lots all over town, even Mong Kok and Tsim Sha Tsui. The influx of Mainlanders doesn’t help our economy at all.

[patrickmilburn]

Why won’t they just say ‘national security law’ - it’s absolutely ruined HK. And mainlanders coming in is EXACTLY what China wants - slowly supplant the local population, and then it’ll be just another Chinese city. 150 years of hard work gone, and it’s so utterly depressing.

[kantynory]

I remember during the 1980’s there was a lots of advertisements regarding keeping HK clean ( for eg, live chicken market, trolley hawkers, spitting, throwing garbage etc etc) and really HK was lot cleaner then. Nowadays it has become dirtier than ever.

[Coaldale]

As a former HK resident, I can feel the difference that the crackdown and human rights suppression has brought. It's sad and makes me (and I dare say a number of Hong Kong people) long for the good old days.

[limsim]

the last lady is the best English speaker from HK Local so far I have seen from CNA....

[seancai]

influx of mainland Chinese my bad, mainland Chinese no longer visit Hong Kong, it is the Hong Kongers that are coming to Shenzhen more and more often.

[meime]

My entire family came from China back in the 50s and the 60s. What's wrong with the influx of mainlanders? As someone who was born and brought up in HK, I am happy that they came.

[Mingbaakmei]

Been here 61 years and not leaving. The old adage "Many a slip twixt cup and lip" now needs to be brought up-to-date with the wording "Many a slip twixt brain and lip". So just bear that in mind and HK is, as it has always been, "A Great Place to Live!"

[walkman]

So now HK becoming another chinese city

[cwaddle]

Hong Kong is now much less internationalised than Tokyo Osaka and Seoul. I see far more western people on the street when I go to those cities, they are getting far more visitors from the west.

[linglin]

Singapore and HK are competitors. HK equity markets are booming now. This is just sour grapes from Singapore news media.