My Hong Kong | Bruce Lee, Chinese food: Hong Kong has so much to offer the world, so let’s view the current exodus from the city in a positive light
- Some 16,000 Hong Kong families are expected to emigrate to the UK this year, with many more to follow them there and elsewhere
- This should be viewed as another opportunity to share Hong Kong’s unique culture and gifts with the world
Those Hongkongers who are emigrating to Britain should not see themselves as fleeing the city, but as people who are seeking to put down roots elsewhere and seek a new life.
Hongkongers do not chastise expatriates coming to the city to experience a new culture and raise their families. In fact, we embrace these visitors who inevitably become a part of the local fabric. But sadly, there have been mixed reactions towards local residents seemingly “jumping ship” and “escaping” to nations like Britain, the United States and other countries that are home to significant Chinese diasporas.
It’s been estimated that Hongkongers who are planning to emigrate to Britain will be taking as much as HK$150 billion (US$19.3 billion) from the sale of their properties, and that’s this year alone.
That, of course, is fabulous news for the British government – the UK economy will surely benefit from this mass wave of emigration. But many also fear it could sound the death knell for Hong Kong’s people, culture, and the city itself.
Up to 16,000 Hong Kong families are expected to start afresh in the UK by taking advantage of a visa scheme for British National (Overseas) passport holders. Of the 5.4 million Hong Kong residents who are eligible for these passports, the British government said it expects some 300,000 Hongkongers to move to the UK over the next five years.
