Growing with Hong Kong: Celebrating HKSAR 25th Anniversary

Lin Guangjian: The Central Government’s policy enables Hong Kong to integrate with the motherland and benefit from its economic take-off

I attended university in 2012, the next year we adopted the new system. I wanted to see the outside world, because Hong Kong is too small, and also, I wanted to study law. I searched the Internet for mainland universities and found that Southwest University of Political Science and Law is very famous. In 2012, I passed the National Joint Entrance Examination for Hong Kong and Macau Students, and got admitted by the Southwest University of Political Science and Law in the Mainland. Apart from the National Joint Entrance Examination for Hong Kong and Macau Students, there was also the joint enrollment by Jinan University and Huaqiao University. In addition, exam-free admission was another policy introduced to encourage students from Hong Kong and Macau to study in the mainland. I tried all three channels.

After graduation, I first joined a law firm in Guangzhou, but later felt that my personal ability kind of hit the ceiling, so I planned to go back for further studies. I first went to Sun Yat-sen University for my master’s degree, and then went to Jinan University for my doctorate. Now I’m committed to youth work, serving young entrepreneurs in numerous ways.

The Outline of the Greater Bay Area boosted my confidence to continue to stay here. Because we see that the central government remain committed to supporting Hong Kong and Macau youngsters to seeker greater development in the mainland and the Bay Area in particular.

For example, in terms of employment, there are a number of civil service positions and public institution jobs targeted at Hong Kong and Macao students. Some cities also provide housing and living subsidies to students from Hong Kong and Macao. The first Greater Bay Area Youth Employment Program in Hong Kong last year attracted a huge number of job seekers.

If you want to start your own business, there are now many start-up bases for students from Hong Kong and Macau. From early inception to operation, the base offers a full range of guidance, so that Hong Kong and Macao entrepreneurs can settle down in the mainland.

Living in the maindland is slowly becoming more convenient, too. For example, restrictions on property purchase was lifted, so people can buy their own home and settle down here.

From 1997 to now, as far as I have experienced with my own eyes, the central government is granting more and more open policies to Hong Kong. Since first introduced in 2003, CEPA has gone through numerous rounds of extension, and I’ve been following these developments. Through CEPA and the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect, I see greater openness of Hong Kong granted by the mainland in terms of economic policies, as well as policies regarding employment. Hong Kongers today find it much easier to get into the mainland market. This allows Hong Kong to be part of the development story of the mainland and share the dividends of China’s economic take-off.