Chinese arrivals replace Hong Kong exodus. For them, the city is still freer than the mainland

The exodus of tens of thousands of professionals from Hong Kong, triggered by Beijing’s crackdown on its civil liberties, is being offset by new arrivals: mainland Chinese keen to move to the former British colony. The territory’s wealth, wider freedoms and cosmopolitan ambiance set it apart and tens of thousands of mainland Chinese have applied to move to the Asian financial hub under a talent scheme launched in late 2022. Hong Kong has long attracted wealthy mainland Chinese who have invested heavily in its property market, choosing to live outside the communist-ruled mainland. Now, middle-class professionals are finding a foothold, helping to make up for the brain drain from Hong Kongers who have left.