Hashtag# Hong Kong, Radio 3 RTHK

I have been privileged to work with young people in Hong Kong for 27 years.  During this time, I have been witness to their strengths, their resilience, their joys and even their struggles and frustrations; fears and anxieties. 

So, it is a bit worrying, that because of Hong Kong’s record low birth rate, the number of young people in our city is declining. According to the statistics released by the Census and Statistics Department in February this year , the population of young people aged between 20 and 34 stands at 1.23 million or 16.3 per cent of the population, as compared to the total population in 2014, it was declined around 20%.

Yes, the government was enthused to announce in February this year that, for the first time since 2017, there was an uptick in births in 2023, with over 33,000 births recorded in the same year, a two per cent increase over 2022. But this is not the full picture.  

The truth is that more and more couples are deciding not to have children, with reasons stated in a Family Planning Poll in 2023 as including, “fear of child-rearing responsibilities, society being unsuitable for children’s development and heavy financial burdens.”   Compounded by delays in young people getting married, along with a death rate above the number of births, and a high life expectancy rate, what this means is that we are looking into a future with an ageing, rather than a youthful, population.    

I know that this is a phenomenon not unique to Hong Kong. And I do applaud all the measures laid out by the Chief Executive in his last Policy Address to tackle the city’s record low birth rates, including cash handouts and easier access to subsidised housing for families with children. 

But what does the falling birth rate – in real terms – mean for the future of Hong Kong?

Working with The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, the city’s largest youth service organisation, my primary concern is how we might address what this challenge represents for Hong Kong.

We know that young people are incredibly talented and innovative and have contributed to the city’s growth. 

We know they are technologically advanced to seek pioneering solutions to social problems and have started businesses and become social entrepreneurs.

We know they are talented in the arts and sports. 

We know that they are socially aware as they take the lead in environmental sustainability and climate change.

We know that despite mental and emotional challenges, they did not give up.  

This is the generation that is ready to make a difference and they are the talent and energy that Hong Kong needs to thrive.

However, with a declining birth rate and fewer young people, we are facing far-reaching consequences.

For example, as primary school enrolments drop, this will have a knock-on effect on higher education too. 

This chain effect will then see employers – across the sectors – struggle to find young workers, and then, with a shrinking workforce, elderly health and social care will be affected as the tax base decreases.  

All these concerns make me more determined that the decreasing birth rate is not an issue for the government alone.

We as a society – all of us – the non-profit sector, civil groups, businesses, and policymakers – need to work together to see how we can create a more nurturing environment for families to raise the next generation of talents and drive Hong Kong's continued development. 

That is why I believe that one area where we can focus our attention is on the family. The family, in my experience, is the pillar of society and from which the seeds of the future sprout. 

I understand that is not easy, but don't we – as citizens – have a responsibility for the future as well? As a youth centric organisation, the Federation not only provides a range of services to young people, that caters to their emotional, physical, educational and occupational advancement, but also allows them the space and encouragement to actively participate and engage in public issues and policy advocacy. 

Despite the difficulties – and there are many – including political and social discontent, belief that the quality of life is decreasing, as are educational and employment opportunities, should we not consider how having children is something that ensures development and prosperity in the long term?

Having families, and increasing our birth rate, is one way to seek a long-term solution for a very pressing short-term problem. But what we must offer young people is a sense of hope and of belonging.

Then, when our birth rates increase, we must do everything we can to ensure that these children and young people are provided with opportunities so that they too may contribute to Hong Kong’s future development. 

I make this clarion call to everyone. Let Hong Kong not be left behind. 

And, on an optimistic note, I'd like to dedicate this song, written to celebrate a baby’s birth, for everyone in Hong Kong: Isn’t She Lovely by Stevie Wonder.