HK retirees look for a place to live

Man Kam-chuen has lived in Shenzhen for more than 17 years and considers it his second home. Spending the sunset years of his life in the southern coastal city was the logical choice for many retired people like Man then to offset the rising costs in Hong Kong.

But that dream seems to have soured for some people as rising costs and dwindling incomes have prompted them to return to Hong Kong.

Man, now 83, says he has no regrets about his decision to stay in Shenzhen as he gets to spend more quality time with friends and to pursue things of interest. During the day he attends a college for old cadres in Luohu district to hone his skills in poetry, history and calligraphy. He also finds time to play chess and table tennis with some 40 other retirees.

Hong Kong retiree Man Kam-chuen, 83, in his home in Luohu district in Shenzhen on June 21.[Photo/China Daily]

Spurred by the idea of saving money and having a better quality of life, Man and his friends decided to move to Shenzhen, the city closest to Hong Kong, in 1995. "At that time, it made good economic sense. The exchange rate was favorable and for HK$100 ($13) you could get 120 yuan. Real estate prices were also cheap and a two-bedroom apartment was available for just 1,500 yuan. Nursing costs were also low and one could hire a home nurse for just 500 yuan a month," he says.

According to Poon Chi-fai, former assistant director of the Shenzhen center of the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions, more than 100,000 Hong Kong seniors live in Guangdong province, with nearly 60,000 in Shenzhen. Many have returned to Hong Kong as they have exhausted their savings, Poon says. "Each year we help more than 100 to go back to Hong Kong," he says, adding that the number is still growing.

According to Poon, elders without property or savings can apply for the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance in Hong Kong, and choose either to live by themselves or in a senior citizens' home. Each Hong Kong citizen is entitled to HK$3,000 to HK$4,000 as a monthly allowance, and in some cases the money is paid directly to senior citizens' home.

With costs in Shenzhen spiraling, Man and many other retirees are now making fervent attempts to get "fruit money", or the monthly old age allowance of HK$1,090 provided by the Hong Kong government to those who are more than 65 years old without property and to those who are more than 70 years old with property.

But one of the conditions for getting the monthly allowance is that the person should have stayed in Hong Kong for 309 or more days in the first year after retirement, and then at least 60 days in subsequent years.

These regulations effectively bar many people like Man, who live on the mainland. His anguish is evident when he says the conditions are akin to "no benevolence" and "bullying elders".

"Although we do not live in Hong Kong, we are not staying in foreign countries, we are still in China, so why don't we get the money? It is called old age allowance and we are elders, we deserve it," he says, adding that though the allowance is not much it would still go a long way in reducing the overall expenditure.

Outgoing Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang had in October mooted a proposal to support the Hong Kong elders living in Guangdong province. According to Poon, the trade union has taken up the issue with Hong Kong government and elders living in the Guangdong province are likely to get fruit money by the middle of next year.

Though many of his friends, his three sons and two daughters all live in Hong Kong, Man has no intention of going back. It is much more fun to live in Shenzhen, he says.

huangyuli@chinadaily.com.cn