Hundreds from Hong Kong, Macau apply for five civil service openings in Shenzhen created under Greater Bay Area plan
- The positions in mainland China pay less than local government posts, but pro-establishment figures call it a ‘golden opportunity’ to build networks
- The weekend applications come two months after President Xi Jinping urged Hong Kong youths to spend time living and working across the border
A total of 446 candidates with residency in either Hong Kong or Macau took part in a written test organised by the Shenzhen government over the weekend, the Chinese News Service reported, with pro-establishment figures saying it was no surprise hundreds had applied.
Horace Cheung Kwok-kwan, vice-chairman of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress Hong Kong (DAB), said: “I trust it will be a golden opportunity for our youths to understand the mainland system and build up their personal networks.”
But Carson Tsang Long-hin, spokesman for student activist group Ideologist, questioned whether it revealed an eagerness among Hong Kong youths to cross the border or if it was largely applicants with local residency who already lived on the mainland.
The news report did not break down the number of candidates from Hong Kong and Macau, nor did it mention where candidates were currently residing. Stringent anti-coronavirus measures have discouraged cross-border travel by Hongkongers in the past year.
