Hong Kong needs youth power in its role as a belt and road super connector

Most of the discussion on China’s “Belt and Road Initiative” has tended to revolve around trade and business opportunities. Very little has been said about demographic dynamics – fundamental for the development of any country.

Over 62 per cent of the world’s population lives in the 65 countries along the belt and road, but these nations have only a 30 per cent share of the global GDP. This represents enormous development potential.

However, some nations doubt China’s intentions, and its ability to manage and implement this ambitious strategy, or assume it is a covert attempt to transfer excess manufacturing capacity. Amid rising protectionism around the world, how should China position its initiative and guide itself?

We believe the initiative should be promoted under the framework of globalised moral integrity, never as “neocolonialism in the 21st century”. It should be based on equality and respect, under the philosophy of “coexisting, co-creating and co-sharing”.

Watch: Belt and Road: what, when, why, how?

Discussing population and development along the belt and road at the recent Shanghai Forum, experts highlighted the pressures of an expanding youth population in Central and South Asia. This “population dividend” could create huge opportunities, with the necessary infrastructure and policy support. But we must also invest in young people’s education and skills training. If we fail to create high-quality and local young talent to enhance productivity, or the market is unable to absorb the extra labour force, this potential advantage may instead increase the chance of social instability due to high youth unemployment, as seen in some Western countries.