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An expat’s guide
to Hong Kong

Hong Kong

Situated on the south-eastern tip of China, on the Pearl River delta and the South China Sea, Hong Kong is renowned as a diverse and fast-paced destination. This small, 405 square-mile location is home to a population of 7,347,000 and comprises 262 islands, including Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and Lantau Island, plus the New Territories. You’ll find a mixture of stunning landscapes, vibrant business centres, and wonderful natural surroundings, as well as contemporary culture and leisure facilities centres.

 

Trade has always flourished here, and a recent report published by the World Bank highlights the business potential that exists in the peninsula. Currently Hong Kong ranks fifth on the World Bank list of the easiest places in the world to do business — by comparison, mainland China is placed 78th. Classified as the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) by the Chinese government, this former British colony only came under China’s rule in 1997.

 

A 99-year lease between the UK and the People’s Republic of China - signed in 1898 under the 2nd Peking Convention — expired in 1997, and it was time to hand back the former colony to the mainland government. Hong Kong is governed by the principle of one country, two systems. This means that while China holds sovereignty, Hong Kong has an independent judiciary and its own head of government. Because of this policy, the SAR follows a different set of rules from anywhere else in China. The culture of Hong Kong offers a mixture of ancient Chinese tradition alongside some of the most innovative businesses, housing and transport links in the world.

 

The health system is easy to navigate and, with a large expat community, finding somewhere to live close to good schools, is relatively easy, though sometimes expensive.

 

Moving overseas isn’t always about business, and taking time to explore your new environment is part of the fun. From the SAR’s magnificent Tian Tan Buddha statue nestling in the scenic hills of Lantau Island to its dramatic coastline, parts of Hong Kong can be compared with the most beautiful places on the planet. This place really is a cornucopia of contrasts.1

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