Hong Kong’s government announced on Thursday that the territory’s population had declined for the third consecutive year as deaths rose amid the pandemic and anti-virus measures have reduced the number of incoming workers, but did not mention an exodus of residents triggered by a crackdown on the anti-democracy movement.
The city’s population decreased 0.9 percent to 7.3 million at the end of 2022 from a year earlier, according to interim data released by the Department of Census and Statistics. He said there was a net outflow of 60,000 residents, with 21,200 new residents arriving.
For much of the pandemic, Hong Kong followed mainland China’s strict “zero COVID” strategy, deterring professionals from moving to the international financial hub. Its demographic decline has been exacerbated by growing numbers of young professionals leaving for Britain, the United States and other countries in response to Hong Kong’s Western-style erosion of civil liberties after a tough new national security law silenced or jailed dissenters.
CHINA SHIFTS GUIDE ON COVID ORIGIN AFTER STUDY LEFTERS IN VIRUS BEGINNINGS
People wearing face masks cross a busy road in Causeway Bay shopping district in Hong Kong, Feb. 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Thursday’s announcement gave no indication of how many people had left for political reasons, but said there was a slight increase in inflows towards the end of last year after officials gradually eased virus checks.
“We noted that the population decrease in the second half of 2022 has become smaller than that in the first half, reflecting that Hong Kong’s population movement has started to gradually return to normal,” the statement said.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
The government has predicted that the factors preventing workers from moving to Hong Kong will dissolve after unrestricted travel to mainland China and elsewhere resumes.
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee has implemented various measures aimed at attracting at least 35,000 professionals each year between 2023 and 2025.
