Why Hong Kong residents are eager to travel to the mainland?

On July 1, the National Immigration Administration of China announced the issuance of a new five-year, multi-entry travel permit for Hong Kong's non-Chinese nationals with permanent residency, as part of the 27th handover anniversary celebrations.

In keeping with the classic China-hostile tradition, Western media raised a generalized alarm without bothering to find out what the people directly affected by the new policy thought about it. Local media in Hong Kong reported within hours that the automatic machines used for the booking procedure for this new visa were oversubscribed, leading local authorities to set up waiting lists.

Those who know the city well understand why this new initiative has so much support.

Having lived in Hong Kong for several years and frequently visiting the city, I can attest to the urgency of expediting the decision to streamline travel procedures from Hong Kong to the Chinese mainland. Many residents anticipate that additional simplifications will be introduced in the near future.

By continuing to focus on the perspective of the young people, now expatriates in Europe and the United States, who participated in the 2014 and 2019 riots, Western observers have missed a key point: Hong Kong society is much more diverse and nuanced than what this group of young people, which is very small in number and, as a result, not representative of the entire Hong Kong society, would have you believe.

Anyone familiar with Hong Kong is aware that the issue of giving multiple visas is a longstanding one. Hong Kong has long been the primary hub for a variety of commercial activities interested in conducting business in both China and the rest of Asia. As a result, the demand for numerous visas to easily go to China, particularly to maintain the ability to quickly organize unexpected business trips, is nothing new. This is why, immediately upon the government's approval of this option, the offices responsible for issuing new multi-entry travel permits experienced a surge in demand.

What is more important to underline is that the genuine astonishment regarding the reaction to this new policy comes from ordinary residents of all ages, not the corporate community. After realizing the utter baselessness of the 2019 incident due to the unchanging nature of their everyday lives in Hong Kong, locals liberated themselves from the long-held prejudices and decided to witness China's progress first-hand.

It is important to remember that for more than two decades, Hong Kong citizens, both local and foreigners, have regularly traveled to Shenzhen to buy clothing, furniture and tech equipment at cheaper prices. Today, Hong Kong residents travel to the mainland, and not just Shenzhen, to take advantage of everything the nation has to offer – from upscale eateries to professional massages in elegant spas, from local design galleries to four-star hotels. The list of high-quality, competitively priced products and services that China currently provides could continue to grow.

Today, Hong Kong residents come to the mainland not only because it is cheaper, but also because the quality of what it has to offer is far superior. The disparity is so stark that, as travel agents confirm, Hong Kong people prefer to spend their entire vacation on the mainland rather than Southeast Asia.

Not to mention, the mainland offers amenities and facilities that Hong Kong does not have, such as indoor ski fields, serene and sophisticated tea shops, or the option to queue for a restaurant directly from the hotel, which reduces potential waiting times.

More and more Hong Kongers are "taking a trip to the Chinese mainland," only to go to the hairdresser or run an errand at the bank (despite Hong Kong's long financial tradition, mainland institutions are becoming increasingly competitive). The trip takes no more than 40 minutes, whether by normal or express rail. And it only costs a few dollars.

Most of the people I know in Hong Kong say that if it becomes possible to cross the border in a few minutes, it may be worthwhile to even consider moving to Guangdong without having to give up a professional career in Hong Kong. Consequently, commuting to work from Shenzhen will be more convenient than from the New Territories, and the already high standard of living will continue to grow.

Naturally, when this occurs, the Western media will raise the alarm about "forced relocations." Local societies, as in every country worldwide, persistently strive to enhance their quality of life.

(The author is an independent researcher based in Paris. The views are her own.)