Stories of younger generation Hong Kongers living in Chinese mainland cities of GBA

Editor's note: As a land of opportunity, The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) has attracted many youths from Hong Kong to start their lives and careers in Guangdong. Dreams, courage, strength and tenacity are the reasons why they settle here and how they strive to be of value.

In this new home, Hugo Luk Ka Chung, a young man from Hong Kong born in the 1990s, spent a special Spring Festival with his wife from Guangzhou, Yao Lin. Their residence is not far from Huanggang Port, the entry on the border between the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong in the south of Shenzhen.

This was a memorable Chinese New Year Eve for Hugo. Eating dumplings and watching the CCTV Spring Festival Gala are such fresh experiences and different from those in Hong Kong. One year ago, Hugo moved to Shenzhen and began his career. As he crossed the bridge of learning to speak Mandarin, he has gradually fit into the new place. He merrily outlines his future plans, saying he will invest more time in his family as he is around thirty. He is also looking forward to raising their child in Shenzhen.

After a two-week quarantine, Carmen Luk Ka Yi, a post-00s (a person born after 2000) from Hong Kong, finally enrolled at Jinan University in Guangzhou last September. This year, she is the one of "people who chose to stay put during Spring Festival", but she scheduled a variety of fascinating activities to celebrate Chinese New Year.

Carmen took a painting and calligraphy class offered by JNU for students who spent their holiday on campus, and paid a visit to the must-go scenic spot Shishi Sacred Heart Cathedral with her friends. Living in Guangzhou, one of China's most livable cities boasting cultural richness and natural beauty, Carmen said, "My nerves used to be on edge because Hong Kong is such a fast-paced city, but in Guangzhou, I can take my time to live a life at leisure." Carmen has been fascinated by the diverse cultures of Guangzhou. Like "an adventurer with a knapsack", she is ready to taste an unusual life.

Ever since he started his own business and quit his former job in 2019, shuttling between Guangzhou and Meizhou (a prefecture-level city in Guangdong, around 250 miles east of Guangzhou) has become a routine for Beta Wong Kin Yu, a post-80s young man from Hong Kong.

This year, Beta remained in Guangzhou and celebrated CNY by himself. He often went downstairs to a Hong Kong-style café nearby, ordering a nostalgic set meal of Hong Kong, and occasionally, when he came across neighbors from Hong Kong, having a chat with them. Given the prospective opportunity of GBA, Beta's ambition of entrepreneurship is doubled. After a holiday as treat, he will soon have his hands full with his investment project in Meizhou.

These three youths from Hong Kong, though they live their lives are at different stages and in divergent ways, gathered at Chinese mainland cities of GBA, blazing a trail with a brand-new start. They are the very epitome of youth from Hong Kong, who, with sweat and toil, pursue their dreams in Guangdong.

Reporter/Script | Zeng Meiling

Video edited | Xu Xinyu, Wang Juntao

Video-shooting | Yao Zhihao, Zhang Di, Dong Tianjian

English version | GDToday, GDUFS Chinese Cultural Story Exchange Group

English editor | Jerry