Chongqing Morning Post reporter made contact through various channels and found the 5-year-old baby born in Hong Kong, Xiao Yu (alias). Xiao's father, Mr. Xiao, is from Chongqing, while his mother, Ms. Li, is from Chengdu. Seven years ago, they got married in Chongqing and moved to Guangzhou due to Mr. Xiao's job transfer.
Before turning 18, Xiao needs to register multiple times in Hong Kong.
"Many friends around us went to Hong Kong to give birth, it became a trend, a fashion," Ms. Li said. "Everyone was talking about which hospital is good, which hospital is famous, so we wanted to have our baby in that hospital."
In early 2007, Mr. Xiao booked a bed at the French Hospital of Hong Kong (St. Teresa's Hospital), and after spending 120,000 yuan, his son Xiao Yu was born in Hong Kong in September of that year. With the help of an intermediary, he smoothly obtained his baby's birth certificate in Hong Kong.
However, this birth certificate does not mean that Xiao Yu has become a Hong Kong resident. "Hong Kong's birth certificate is not equal to a Hong Kong green card." If a baby born in Hong Kong does not meet the conditions for applying for a green card by the age of 12, they must return to the mainland.
"Even if we can get the Hong Kong green card, we still need to bring the baby back," Ms. Li said. "Neither of us are Hong Kong residents, nor do we live in Hong Kong, how can we take care of him?"
As a "mainland Hong Kong kid," Xiao Yu must register for a Home Return Permit in Hong Kong at the ages of 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, 12, 15, and 18 to continue living on the mainland. For this reason, every few years, Mr. Xiao has to take his son to Hong Kong for registration, otherwise, it would be considered an illegal act for his son to live with him on the mainland.
It's also hard to live in Hong Kong without proper means.
In the past few years, it was still fine, but now as his son grows up day by day, next year he will enter primary school, Mr. Xiao began to worry: "My son does not have a mainland household registration, so he cannot enjoy the free nine-year compulsory education in the district." If he doesn't pay the tuition fee, Mr. Xiao will have to send his son to school in Hong Kong: "This is really unrealistic, both of us are on the mainland, how could we leave the child alone in Hong Kong?"
Moreover, Mr. Xiao's contact with Hong Kong is increasing, and he understands Hong Kong better. The high-welfare Hong Kong he once knew is no longer as good as before: "The pace of life in Hong Kong is fast, and the cost of living is high. If the child cannot become a professional talent in a certain field, living in Hong Kong may not necessarily be that great."