POPULATION POLICY

BOOSTING BIRTH RATES & OPTIMIZING POPULATION STRUCTURE

Platform

GBA Low-Altitude Economy Alliance

Contact person

Legislative Councillor Nixie LAM

Legislative Councillor LEUNG Hei, Edward

Legislative Councillor NGAN Man Yu, Frankie

Legislative Councillor CHAN Yung

Population policy refers to a series of comprehensive measures formulated by the government to regulate the scale, structure, distribution, and quality of the population. It includes three core concepts: balanced population structure, enhancement of talent quality, and sustainable socio-economic development.

Hong Kong’s current population policy remains fragmented, related policies are scattered. There is an urgent need for an overall top-level plan that integrates various areas such as fertility, education, healthcare, talent influx, urban planning, and elderly care. This integration aims to achieve the goal of "balanced" economic development.

Participated in GBA Population and Health Symposium

Challenges and Opportunities

Severe Population Challenge: Lastyear, Hong Kong recorded only 33,288 births while there were 51,400 deaths, highlighting a critical demographic issue.

Aging Population: The population is continuously aging, with projections indicating that by 2046, one in three
individuals will be aged 65 or older.

Lack of Comprehensive Population Policy: Currently, the government assigns different aspects of population policy to
various departments without an effective cross-departmental design and resource integration mechanism.

Biotechnology as an Opportunity: With advancements in biotechnology (such as genetic technology and bio
breeding), Hong Kong has a competitive edge. There is significant potential to develop areas like gene sequencing and biomedicine as new economic drivers, alongside providing green pathways for listed companies to assist in technology financing and industrialization.

digital-animation-showing-rapid-population-growth-time-with-future-projections-as-isometri

Participated in GBA Population and Health Symposium

Key Policy Areas

Policy Advocacy

Established the 'Hong Kong Population Policy Alliance' to conduct multiple roundtable meetings and in-depth
research, and propose various population policies and recommendations related to encouraging birth rates.

Leadership and Policy Development: Urge the establishment of a leadership team at the Secretary-of-Departments-level to develop a more comprehensive population policy. This should integrate population
development in the Greater Bay Area and consolidate resources from multiple sectorsat the institutional level, aiming for longterm population planning in Hong Kong.
The focus should be on introducing more targeted measures to create a more livable and family-friendly environment.

Stakeholder Engagement: Actively engage relevant government departments, the business sector, professional communities, academia, think tanks, and Chinese enterprises. Invite diverse stakeholders to contribute ideas on Hong Kong's overall population policy, fostering collaborative input to promote healthy population
development in Hong Kong.

Promoting Family-Friendly Workplaces

Pilot Projects: Successfully advocate for KMB to establish an employee childcare centre at the Mei Foo Depot, leading
the business sector to provide childcare services. The centre accommodates 30 children aged 2-6, fully funded by
KMB without additional government financial support. This initiative breaks down existing policy barriers, significantly
enhances employee loyalty, strengthens recruitment attractiveness, and helps release women's workforce potential. It also serves as a model for other businesses in implementing family-friendly measures while encouraging government departments to collaborate in creating a more family-friendly Hong Kong.

Promoting Economic Diversification in Life Sciences Industry

Leveraging Hong Kong's Advantages: Hong Kong possesses international leading advantages in life sciences and
healthcare sectors. There should be a push to further develop emerging industries like gene medicine and biopharmaceuticals, particularly in promising areas like
reproductive technology. This will facilitate the transformation of research results into industrial momentum. By "breaking down barriers" in policy, the investment environment can be optimized. Additionally, improving medical tourism infrastructure will harness the immense economic potential and social benefits of the life sciences industry.

Encouraging Family Discounts from Local Businesses

Creating a Family-Friendly Business Environment: To foster a family-friendly business environment and encourage family growth, efforts are underway to promote local banks to launch family credit cards that offer consumption discounts for new parents. There is also active outreach to local merchants to provide exclusive consumer benefits tailored to families.