Traditional Chinese Simplified Chinese Email this article news.gov.hk
LCQ13: Children born in Hong Kong to non-Hong Kong residents
************************************************************

     Following is a question by the Hon Cheung Man-kwong and a written reply by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Henry Tang, in the Legislative Council today (June 22):

Question:
     
     Under Article 24 of the Basic Law, all Chinese citizens born in Hong Kong have the right of abode ("ROA") in Hong Kong regardless of whether their parents have settled in Hong Kong. Given that among the newborn population of Hong Kong, the number and percentage of babies of Chinese nationality born to non-Hong Kong residents have continued to increase in recent years, while the authorities set the quota for mainland residents giving birth in Hong Kong mainly according to the capacity of the local healthcare system. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(a) given that the ageing of Hong Kong's population will become more serious in the next 30 years, and the ratio of the number of persons aged under 15 and those aged 65 and over per 1 000 persons aged between 15 and 64 ("overall dependency ratio") will increase, whether the authorities know how the population of babies of Chinese nationality born in Hong Kong to non-Hong Kong residents will affect Hong Kong's overall dependency ratios for the next 30 years; if they know, of the overall dependency ratios for the next 30 years calculated respectively by including and excluding the number of such babies (set out the figures at an internal of every five years), and whether inclusion of the number of such babies will lead to a relative increase or decrease in Hong Kongˇ¦s overall dependency ratios, as well as the corresponding rates of increase/decrease; if the authorities do not know how such baby population will affect the demographic structure of Hong Kong, how they will formulate the population policy and other related policies;

(b) given that babies of Chinese nationality born in Hong Kong to non-Hong Kong residents have ROA and are thus entitled to all public benefits and services in Hong Kong, whereas some children of Hong Kong citizens and their mainland spouses are born on the Mainland as their parents cannot afford the charges for delivery in Hong Kong at $39,000 or more, and such children need to apply for a Permit for Proceeding to Hong Kong and Macao (commonly known as "One-way Permit") to reside in Hong Kong, and until the approval of the Permit they are not entitled to the public benefits and services of Hong Kong, whether the authorities have reviewed if this arrangement is appropriate, and whether they know if there is any other country which adopts the same arrangement;

(c) given that mainlanders applying in the capacity of investors or professionals for residing in Hong Kong together with their children must fulfil a number of requirements in respect of capital assets or competencies, whereas mainlanders giving birth in Hong Kong only need to be able to pay for obstetric services in Hong Kong and their children of Chinese nationality born in Hong Kong can obtain ROA, on what governance principles the Government has based in determining the number of and arrangements for these mainlanders migrating to Hong Kong; and

(d) whether the Steering Committee on Population Policy chaired by the Chief Secretary for Administration has discussed the aforesaid issues; if it has, of the outcome of its discussions; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

(a) In order to assess the impact of babies born in Hong Kong to Mainland women (including those of Chinese nationality born to parents who are both non-Hong Kong permanent residents, known as "Type II babies" below) on Hong Kong population, the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) conducted rounds of "Survey on babies born in Hong Kong to Mainland women" at the birth registries between late January and March 2007, between January and February 2009 and between October and December 2009 to gather information about the parents' intention to have their babies returning to live in Hong Kong. With reference to the results of the above three rounds of survey and the preliminary analytical results based on cross-boundary movement data, C&SD has made a projection assumption that only about 5% of Type II babies will stay in Hong Kong after birth. The remaining 95% will leave Hong Kong before reaching the age of one and among them, 50% will return to live in Hong Kong before reaching the age of 21. In other words, about 52% of Type II babies will eventually settle in Hong Kong.

     In projecting the future population of Hong Kong, C&SD has included the above projection assumption in the calculation. The details of which are set out in Hong Kong Population Projections 2010-2039 published by C&SD in July 2010. It is indicated in the projection results that ageing of the Hong Kong population will continue. Based on the actual figures for 2009, the figures of future child dependency ratio, elderly dependency ratio and overall dependency ratio (Note) projected by C&SD are tabulated below:

          2010*  2014  2019  2024  2029  2034  2039
----------------------------------------------------
Child      162    154   173   188   189   181   171  
dependency
ratio
Elderly    172    196   247   317   391   432   454
dependency
ratio
Overall    334    350   420   505   580   612   625
dependency
ratio
*Actual figures

     Based on the above population projection, the current Type II babies will, at least by the year 2039, contribute an important part in the growth of the working population (i.e. aged 15 to 64) in Hong Kong if they choose to settle in Hong Kong in the future. This will have a positive effect on mitigating the ageing problem of the Hong Kong population.

     It should be noted that the intention expressed by the parents of Type II babies during the surveys may change over time and will be subject to a number of factors, for example, the financial situation of these families, whether they have close relatives in Hong Kong, whether their places of origin are close to Hong Kong, the social and economic developments of Hong Kong in comparison with those of the Mainland or other areas. In this connection, at present one of the important issues of the Steering Committee on Population Policy ("Steering Committee") is to examine ways to better ascertain the intention of the parents of Type II babies in order to make better projections and assessments.

(b) According to Article 24 of the Basic Law, persons of Chinese nationality born outside Hong Kong to Hong Kong permanent residents who are Chinese citizens shall be permanent residents of Hong Kong and shall have the right of abode. In this connection, a child of Chinese nationality born in the Mainland, whose father or mother is a Hong Kong permanent resident at the time of their birth, may apply for a Certificate of Entitlement from the Immigration Department through the exit-entry administration of public security authority in the Mainland to establish his/ her status as a Hong Kong permanent resident. On the other hand, Article 22 of the Basic Law provides that for entry into the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, people from other parts of China must apply for approval. It is therefore necessary for such babies to apply to the office of exit-entry administration of public security authority in the Mainland for a Permit for Proceeding to Hong Kong and Macao (also known as "One-way Permit") in order to settle in Hong Kong. In general, the formalities for such babies settling in Hong Kong may be completed within a year.  

     Public services such as public medical and education services are heavily subsidised by public money. It is hence appropriate that they should only be available to residents of Hong Kong, or that such people should have priority in using public resources. This way of allocating public resources is widely adopted in many places of the world.

(c) Admission schemes for professionals and talents to work and settle in Hong Kong are initiatives to optimise our workforce. The objective is to attract talents (including Mainland residents) to Hong Kong to cater for our economic developments and contribute to our future sustainable growth. As for Chinese citizens born in Hong Kong, they acquire the right of abode in Hong Kong according to the law.

(d) The Steering Committee has discussed the impacts of Type II babies on the demographic structure of Hong Kong. Owing to the persistently low fertility rate of local women and longer life expectancy, it is undeniable that our population is on an ageing trend. Once arrived and settled in Hong Kong, Type II babies may, to a certain extent, supplement our workforce and mitigate the problem of an ageing population. The C&SD has taken into account the projection assumption of Type II babies returning to Hong Kong in its projection of Hong Kong's future population. The issue to be addressed under the population policy is to assess and project whether these babies will return to Hong Kong and, if yes, when, and what the ramifications are, so as to make better preparation in the relevant public service areas. Regarding Mainland women who are not Hong Kong residents giving births in Hong Kong, our policy is to ensure that local pregnant women are given proper obstetric services and priority to use such services; to limit the number of non-local pregnant women coming to Hong Kong to give births to a level that can be supported by our healthcare system; and to deter dangerous behaviour of non-local pregnant women in seeking emergency hospital admissions through Accident and Emergency Departments shortly before labour.

Note: Child dependency ratio refers to the number of persons aged under 15 per 1 000 persons aged between 15 and 64. Elderly dependency ratio refers to the number of persons aged 65 and over per 1 000 persons aged between 15 and 64. Overall dependency ratio refers to the number of persons aged under 15 and those aged 65 and over per 1 000 persons aged between 15 and 64.

Ends/Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Issued at HKT 11:52

NNNN

Print this page