Chongqing Morning Post reporter made multiple contacts and found Xiaoyu (pseudonym), the baby born in Hong Kong who is now 5 years old. Xiaoyu's father, Mr. Xiao, is from Chongqing, and his mother, Ms. Li, is from Chengdu. Seven years ago, after they got married in Chongqing, they moved to Guangzhou due to Mr. Xiao's job transfer.
The child needs to register multiple times in Hong Kong before the age of 18.
"Many friends around us have gone to Hong Kong to give birth, and it has become a trend and a fashion," Ms. Li said. "Everyone talks about which hospital is good, which one is famous, and then they want to have their baby in that hospital."
In early 2007, Mr. Xiao reserved a bed at Hong Kong French Hospital (St. Teresa's Hospital) and spent 120,000 yuan. His son, Xiaoyu, was born in Hong Kong in September of that year and smoothly obtained the birth certificate in Hong Kong with the help of an intermediary.
However, this birth certificate does not mean that Xiaoyu has become a Hong Kong resident. "A Hong Kong birth certificate is not equal to a Hong Kong green card." If the child reaches the age of 12 without meeting the conditions for applying for a green card, he must return to mainland China.
"Even if we can get the Hong Kong green card, we still need to let the baby come back," Ms. Li said. "Neither of us are Hong Kong residents, nor do we live in Hong Kong, so how can we take care of him?"
As a "mainland Hong Kong baby," Mr. Xiao's son must register for the Home Return Permit in Hong Kong at the ages of 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, 12, 15, and 18 in order to continue living in mainland China. For this reason, every few years, Mr. Xiao has to take his son to Hong Kong for registration; otherwise, it would be considered illegal for his son to live with him in mainland China.
It's also hard if you don't have the ability to live in Hong Kong.
In the past few years, it was fine, but now as his son grows up day by day and will enter elementary school next year, Mr. Xiao started to worry: "My son doesn't have a mainland household registration, so he cannot enjoy the free nine-year compulsory education in the designated school district." If he doesn't pay the borrowing fee, Mr. Xiao would have to send his son to school in Hong Kong: "This is really unrealistic. Both of us are in mainland China, how could we leave our child alone in Hong Kong?"
Moreover, Mr. Xiao's contact with Hong Kong is increasing, and he understands Hong Kong more and more. The high-welfare Hong Kong he once saw 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, living in Hong Kong may not be necessarily better."