Immigration
Back to as early as 1961, little over half of Hong Kong’s population emigrated from mainland China. However as immigration policies became stricter, this number gradually declined. Several large waves of immigrants have moved into Hong Kong since then – World War II in 1945, the communist party government takeover in 1949, and the 1960s famine after the failure of the Great Leap Forward are among the three larger sets of immigration waves to Hong Kong. Most of these immigrants were illegal in that they did not carry permits to leave China or visas to enter Hong Kong before moving. [1]
In 1974, the “touch-base” policy in Hong Kong was established in an attempt to prevent illegal immigration across the border. This was a dramatic change to the previously lax status of Hong Kong, which admitted all entrants from China. Those who were caught were sent back to the mainland. Only those who found an urban area to reside in for seven years could claim permanent citizenship. Thus, this resulted in a great decrease of immigrants to Hong Kong after 1974. [1]
The Open Door Policy in 1979 reopened the flow of immigration as the borders of China were weakened to foreigners. In only two years, Hong Kong’s population grew to an astonishing 7%. Realizing the futility of the touch-base policy after this massive influx of people into the city, administrators abolished the regulation. Only a year later, in 1980, all immigrants from mainland China to Hong Kong have been legal. [1]
In 1974, the “touch-base” policy in Hong Kong was established in an attempt to prevent illegal immigration across the border. This was a dramatic change to the previously lax status of Hong Kong, which admitted all entrants from China. Those who were caught were sent back to the mainland. Only those who found an urban area to reside in for seven years could claim permanent citizenship. Thus, this resulted in a great decrease of immigrants to Hong Kong after 1974. [1]
The Open Door Policy in 1979 reopened the flow of immigration as the borders of China were weakened to foreigners. In only two years, Hong Kong’s population grew to an astonishing 7%. Realizing the futility of the touch-base policy after this massive influx of people into the city, administrators abolished the regulation. Only a year later, in 1980, all immigrants from mainland China to Hong Kong have been legal. [1]
Wage Gap
Economic reformation in Hong Kong between 1981 and 1991 led to environmental and production change as much as it affected the demographics and work force of Hong Kong. In this decade, 35% of immigrants living in Hong Kong were from mainland China. Culturally and linguistically, both shared much in common. However, noticeably different was their level of education and differing skillsets. In fact, this difference in skill led to the large wage gap between native Hong Kong men and mainland immigrants. The fluctuating needs of the rapidly growing economic factor demanded workers of a certain skill – skills honed since young by those who lived in Hong Kong and foreign to the mainland immigrants. Thus, this led to about an 11.3% difference in earnings between the two groups in 1981 and a much higher 25.5% in 1991. [2]
All of these factors, from the inflow of immigration to the wage difference of the new arrivals, are important in explaining the lifestyles of the new residents. The demographic of people living in squatter homes for example, or the amount of people demanding public housing.
All of these factors, from the inflow of immigration to the wage difference of the new arrivals, are important in explaining the lifestyles of the new residents. The demographic of people living in squatter homes for example, or the amount of people demanding public housing.
Mass Migration
People move into Hong Kong’s squatter areas because they cannot afford otherwise, and this creates a continuous demand for illegal living. The types of people who live in squatter homes in the twenty first century are different from those in the 1980s. In the 1980s, middle class households were commonly found to be living in squatter settlements, yet in the present day, they are rarely found there. Past ambiguity of squatter homes and their lack of registration of occupants allowed many people to apply for public housing. Regulations have since caught up and ended more of the practice.
At the end of the Japanese Occupation 1945, a majority of the population had moved back to the mainland in dire states of poverty, leaving the population count at 600,000 in 1945 from two million in 1941. When British control resumed, refugees quickly returned to Hong Kong from the bursting mainland and Hong Kong’s population returned to over one million in 1946 and two million in 1951. In correlation, the number of squatters in Hong Kong – which had been relative low during the war – rocketed to 300,000 in 1949. The private sector was unable to provide enough affordable housing for the refugees so they turned to illegal housing, which led to dangers of fires in squatter areas and public health, as well as blocks to land development and pressure on high rents. The private sector needed the government to step in. [3]
At the end of the Japanese Occupation 1945, a majority of the population had moved back to the mainland in dire states of poverty, leaving the population count at 600,000 in 1945 from two million in 1941. When British control resumed, refugees quickly returned to Hong Kong from the bursting mainland and Hong Kong’s population returned to over one million in 1946 and two million in 1951. In correlation, the number of squatters in Hong Kong – which had been relative low during the war – rocketed to 300,000 in 1949. The private sector was unable to provide enough affordable housing for the refugees so they turned to illegal housing, which led to dangers of fires in squatter areas and public health, as well as blocks to land development and pressure on high rents. The private sector needed the government to step in. [3]
Sources:
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- Lui, Hon-Kwong (2013). Widening Income Distribution in Post-Handover Hong Kong. Retrieved from http://www.eblib.com
- Lam, K., Liu, P. (2002). Earnings divergence of immigrants. Journal of Labor Economics, 20(1), 86-104.
- Smart, A. (2001). Unruly places: Urban governance and the persistence of illegality in Hong Kong's urban squatter areas. American Anthropologist, Vol. 103(No. 1), 30-44.
Media:
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