The Majority of Hong Kong Millennials Want to Flee The City, Study Finds

October 12, 2016

Citing government dissatisfaction, a growing number of Hongkongers would rather live elsewhere, with more than half of Hong Kong’s millennials wanting to move away from the city, a new study has revealed.

According to the survey conducted by the Chinese University of Hong Kong, 57% of citizens aged 18-30 and almost 40% across all age demographics want to move out of Hong Kong. One in 10 of citizens already has plans to leave, South China Morning Post reported.

Of the total 38.9% who said they would live somewhere else if given the opportunity, 10.9% already made plans to leave, which is equivalent to 4.2% of all respondents.

Chinese University’s Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies conducted the survey from September 23 to 27 where 710 local participants 18 years old and above were asked to express their views on leaving the city.

Survey participants expressed that their reluctance to stay is mostly due to their growing dissatisfaction with the government. They also cited crowded living conditions and local disputes, both political and social, as the cause for their willingness to leave. A staggering 70% expressed discontent with the city’s overall governance while over 40% were dissatisfied with the housing.

“Hong Kong has been [engaging in more discussions] on how to attract foreign experts, but how can we also retain local talent?” population policies University of Hong Kong professor Paul Yip Siu-fai told SCMP.

“Young people should be given more chances to take part in policymaking,” he stressed, noting that the results of the survey revealed discontent among the youth sector.

Most of the respondents are looking to move to Taiwan, being the most preferred destination, with 16.3% expressing their desire to live on the island. The second most preferred destination chosen was Australia, while Canada came in third place. Among the reasons cited for the choices were more space, democracy and freedom.

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