HK01

The United Nations established "World Youth Skills Day" every July to reflect on the employment predicament faced by the younger generation amid the rapid restructuring of the global labor landscape. This existential question is reflected in a speech given by Zhang Xiaolong, former CEO of Fenbi Education, a leading civil service exam preparation company in mainland China. He accused young people of "deserving it" for not being able to find jobs, and the resulting public outcry led to his resignation this month. Mainstream societal voices often simplify the issue of NEETs (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) or high youth unemployment rates as generational responsibility, readily blaming the younger generation for not working hard enough or choosing to "lie down." However, a deeper look at the current job market reveals that the core problem is not a negative mindset, but rather the profound transformation of the workplace structure brought about by the widespread adoption of AI.

While the international community laudes Hong Kong's highly efficient and award-winning healthcare system, countless young nurses are working themselves to the bone, single-handedly managing an extremely strained nurse-to-patient ratio. In the 2025 CEOWORLD Global Healthcare Index, Hong Kong ranks 23rd, boasting outstanding life expectancy and infant survival rates. However, behind this accolade lies the unbearable exhaustion of frontline staff. With an aging population and a surge in chronic diseases, the pressure on the public healthcare system will only intensify, inevitably exacerbating the challenges faced by healthcare workers.

In the early hours of the morning, the skyscrapers on both sides of Victoria Harbour remained brightly lit. The city's economic engine has always been driven by the sweat and toil of countless workers. While Hong Kong people's work ethic is world-renowned, behind the gleaming glass curtain walls, heavy work pressure acts like invisible shackles, gradually eroding the souls of its citizens. Recently, during peak job-hunting season, many Gen Z graduates confided in me, lamenting the high pressure and fast pace of their internships, which left them deeply self-doubting and even experiencing a profound sense of powerlessness.

Data doesn't lie; this sense of powerlessness is far from unfounded. AXA's mental health survey reveals that over 30% of Generation Z report suffering from severe stress, a proportion far exceeding the 231% TP3T in the 35-44 age group and the 181% TP3T in the 45-54 age group. However, this phenomenon cannot be simply attributed to "young people's poor stress tolerance," as a high-pressure workplace culture is impacting all age groups, becoming a hidden cross-generational epidemic. As early as 2022, a survey by the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions' Occupational Safety and Health Association showed that a staggering 84.51% TP3T respondents frequently felt immense work pressure. In the same year, the Federation of Trade Unions also accurately identified work as the biggest source of stress for fathers in Hong Kong.

As April arrives, the festive atmosphere gradually intensifies. The streets will be filled with more overseas fans sporting their own face paint, as well as local young people eager to experience the excitement. With the Hong Kong Football Club International 10-a-side Rugby Tournament, the Hong Kong International 7-a-side Rugby Tournament, and the UCI World Cup Track Cycling Championships all taking place, Hong Kong is entering its peak season for sporting events, promising a series of exciting experiences for its citizens.

Amidst the recent heated discussions about waste reduction, many citizens have taken the first step towards environmental protection with good intentions, but they are often met with a frustrating reality. Carrying a bag of dripping, smelly kitchen waste, searching for smart recycling bins on the street, and even returning home disappointed when the machines are full or malfunctioning, has become a daily annoyance. This seemingly insignificant pain point of "dripping kitchen waste" actually directly exposes a blind spot in the governance of the Hong Kong SAR government's promotion of a "circular economy."

Walking the streets these days, it's easy to notice a change in the pace of visitors to Hong Kong. The image of people dragging suitcases through luxury stores has diminished. Instead, they're following social media guides, wandering through narrow alleyways on "Citywalks," or exploring nature in the countryside. Professor Yin Zhenying of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management at the Chinese University of Hong Kong confirms this: "Consumers now value mental health and the natural environment more." According to the Asia Tourism Exchange Centre's forecast for the tourism market, the proportion of young travelers is constantly rising. They are no longer satisfied with traditional material consumption, but are more willing to spend money to obtain richer emotional value and better quality family time.

Narrowing the digital divide is never an endeavor that can be accomplished by a single department, a single grant, or a few pieces of hardware. It requires long-term investment, institutional design, and cross-sectoral collaboration. International Day for Women and Girls to Participate in Science and Technology reminds us that the future of technology should not belong to only a few; and the education sector reminds us that if institutional disparities between schools and teachers are not addressed early, the so-called "digital transformation" will ultimately only exacerbate inequality.

Earlier, the Minsi Policy Research Institute collaborated with the Shanghai-Hong Kong Joint Institute of Development of the Chinese University of Hong Kong to co-organize the "Building Bridges and Achieving Across Boundaries" seminar, allowing over a hundred participants from different generations and professional backgrounds to form groups and put forward more than 30 proposals covering areas such as governance reform, elderly living, educational innovation, industrial upgrading, and cultural creativity.

We've placed too much emphasis on what works, causing us to neglect keeping up with the times. Hong Kong needs to evolve to version 2.0, 3.0, and even 4.0; we must...