Opinion | Hong Kong’s population growth should prompt some soul-searching
- While the growth in numbers is heartening, the city’s low fertility rate and ageing population call for creative approaches
- With migration set to be the main mode of population growth, the city must focus on diversity and inclusiveness
The number of deaths continued to outnumber births, however, resulting in a natural decrease of 21,200 people. The growth last year was mainly because of migration – the city recorded a net inflow of 51,700 residents.
Of these, 40,800 were one-way permit holders – the spouses or children of Hong Kong residents – and another 10,800 comprised the net gain in migration after taking into account the inflow and outflow of Hong Kong residents.
Here are some observations from the department’s latest report that are of great importance for Hong Kong’s future population development.
First, the impact of migration on population development must be recognised as it is likely to play an even greater role in the future. The government suggests that many Hong Kong residents who went abroad during the Covid-19 pandemic returned to the city last year, noting that there was a considerable inflow of permanent residents in the second half of 2023.
