Hong Kong, Macao aim to be global talent hubs

Experts from the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions said the central government's new directive to transform the two regions into international hubs for top-tier talent will fulfill local demand for talent while propelling the country's high-quality development.

To achieve this objective, both regions should leverage their distinct advantages and policy incentives to attract and retain external talent, while strengthening mechanisms to nurture local talent, they said.

The resolution on further deepening reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization, which was adopted on July 18 at the third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, voiced support for Hong Kong and Macao in building themselves into international hubs for high-caliber talent.

Luo Yong, chairman of the Hong Kong Quality and Talent Migrants Association, said the resolution marks the first explicit directive from the central authorities regarding the SAR's talent policies, demonstrating Hong Kong's significant importance to national development.

Daniel Lee Ho-wah, president of the Hong Kong People Management Association, a professional human resources management body, said that Hong Kong will be a direct beneficiary of the resolution.

Official data shows that the city's population is projected to reach 8.19 million by mid-2046, with one-third being age 65 or older.

Building Hong Kong into an international talent hub will help address the city's challenges related to its aging population and labor shortage.

The welcome influx of talent will also spur the growth of various industries in Hong Kong, upgrade the city's economic structure and attract more investment, Lee said.

Lau Siu-kai, a consultant with the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, a Beijing-based think tank, said he believes that professionals attracted to Hong Kong will leverage the city as a gateway to the Chinese mainland and overseas.

These professionals will not only contribute to the development of Hong Kong and the mainland but also help foster a positive global narrative of the country, Lau added.

The Hong Kong SAR government has ramped up talent-attraction initiatives since late 2022. As of June 30, the city had received more than 320,000 applications through various talent programs, of which 200,000 had been approved, and more than 130,000 of the applicants had arrived in Hong Kong.