Guangdong can help solve our aging-population problem

Hong Kong’s aging population problem has become acutely severe, but the current administration seems to have procrastinated in taking any initiatives. We must urge incoming Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying to take the bull by the horns.

People aged 65 and above will surge 133 percent to 2.1 million in 2030 from today’s 900,000, according to government figures. How can we endeavor to assure that these retirees, who have contributed so much to Hong Kong’s progress, will live decent and happy lives?

The solution lies with neighboring Guangdong province. Mr Leung’s administration will be well advised to work with Guangdong authorities to establish retirement communities in major cities such as Guangzhou, Foshan, Dongguan, Shenzhen and Shantou.

Guangdong authorities should allow Hong Kong social welfare agencies and medical practitioners to set up shops there to meet the needs of Hong Kong retirees who choose to live in those robust and easily accessible cities.

Guangdong will also benefit from the arrangement. Hong Kong retirees will need housing and daily supplies, which will indirectly help create jobs in those big Guangdong cities. Philosophically we can treat Guangdong as our backyard, or an extension of the New Territories.

Hong Kong retirees will enjoy a higher living standard in Guangdong than in Hong Kong, because of lower housing expenses and living costs across the Shenzhen River. Currently, they don’t want to uproot their bases in Hong Kong unless two conditions are met. First, the Hong Kong government must change legislation to allow retirees living in Guangdong to claim old-age allowances and other benefits without fulfilling the requirement of residing in the territory for at least 180 days a year.

Secondly, the communities they live in must have medical and social services provided by specialists and social workers from Hong Kong. Also, living alone in retirement communities can be sad and depressing. Services offered by Hong Kong-based social welfare agencies such as Caritas will be much heralded and appreciated.

Critics may argue that the aged can retire in Hong Kong. The reality, however, is cruel. People have to queue for years to find places in government-run homes for the aged. Privately-run homes can be expensive and the quality of services unpredictable. And there are only 700 privately-operated homes for the aged in Hong Kong.

According to the Council of Social Service figures, one-third of the city’s elderly are “poor”. Living in a Guangdong city with old-age allowances paid and medical services provided will ensure these retirees a better life, which should not be denied if all we need to do is have the political will for Leung administration officials to work with their Guangdong counterparts.

The proposal to allow retirees to live in major Guangdong cities will alleviate pressure on Hong Kong’s society. According to official figures, by 2030 Hong Kong’s labor force will total only 3.49 million, which means each employed will have to support another 1.25 non-productive persons. Hong Kong’s low birth rate of 0.9 percent is not expected to increase any time soon. Ask young people these days and many of them would prefer raising a pet dog instead of shouldering the heavy burden of rearing a kid.

The immediate task is for Mr Leung’s incoming administration to sign agreements with its Guangdong counterpart to pave the way for Hong Kong retirees to live in retirement communities to be set up in several big cities in the province; and the Hong Kong government should ask Guangdong authorities for permission to send medical and social welfare experts to provide services in these communities. When our old folks are happy, we would also be happy.

The author is director of the MA program in international journalism at Hong Kong Baptist University.