Chen Tong, secretary general of the Hong Kong Students' Association of Canton, is helping reshape career trajectories for young residents of Hong Kong through cross-border collaboration in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. As economic integration accelerates across the 11-city cluster, her organization has become a vital conduit for talent development and professional exchange.
"The Greater Bay Area isn't just an economic concept – it's becoming a testing ground for young people's dreams," Chen told KhabarAsia. Her team organizes career fairs, mentorship programs, and cultural immersion activities that have connected over 1,200 Hong Kong students with internships at mainland tech firms, financial institutions, and innovation hubs since 2022.
This talent pipeline aligns with the Chinese mainland's broader strategy to develop the Greater Bay Area into a global innovation powerhouse. Recent data shows cross-border employment in the region grew 18% year-on-year in Q1 2024, with fintech and green energy sectors leading demand.
For business professionals eyeing the US$2 trillion economy, the youth mobility trend signals growing workforce integration. Academics note the social implications of strengthened people-to-people bonds, while diaspora communities follow these developments as markers of Hong Kong's evolving role in national development.
As high-speed rail links and streamlined work permits facilitate daily commutes, cultural explorers might soon add "career tourism" itineraries to their Greater Bay Area travel plans. For now, Chen's focus remains clear: "When our youth succeed across the bay, all of society benefits."
