Highlights

Topics: 

(A) The Silver Wave in Hong Kong: The impact of Hong Kong's elderly and the path ahead.

(B) The public finance implications of the ageing problems in Hong Kong. 

Brief of Topic (A)

With an unparalleled growth in the older population, Hong Kong is changing demographically. One in three residents will be 65 or older by 2039, presenting governments, corporations, and society with difficulties and opportunities. Increased life expectancy and decreased birth rates change the city's social welfare, housing, healthcare, and economic institutions.

This speaker will examine Hong Kong's ageing policy, including social welfare, housing, and healthcare, in light of this demographic transformation. These policies are crucial but rising demand and public expenditure pressures threaten them.

Next, topical community debates will be addressed. Ageing population: threat to stability or chance for economic growth? The "silver economy" shows how aged customers and workers may drive innovation and economic development for a sustainable future.

The speaker Mr. Chan Kwok On Clive will share his substantial life experiences for illustration in the webinar. 

Brief of Topic (B) 

Public finance encompasses annual government revenues and expenditures, as well as long-term fiscal sustainability. From a planning perspective, 2039 is approaching rapidly. Currently, Hong Kong’s per capita surplus is significantly lower than that of Macau and Singapore.  As Hong Kong’s ageing population increases, there will be greater demands on public financial resources, compounded by the requirements for continued investment in projects such as the development of Northern Metropolis. Consequently, the government is likely to encounter substantial fiscal pressures in the decades ahead.

For the five months ended 31 August 2025, the government has already reported a deficit exceeding $100 billion, prior to recording a net cash inflow from government bond issuance and repayment. In response to these challenges, the speaker will propose strategies to increase government revenue and decrease expenditure to address the forthcoming financial difficulties.

The speaker Mr Godwin Ng will share the topic (B).

Speaker(s)

Mr. Chan Kwok On Clive

Mr. Chan Kwok On Clive has been the Senior Manager of the Hong Kong Association of Gerontology since 2024, primarily responsible for management and leadership training in the aged care sector.

He has previously been involved in rehabilitation home care and later in elderly services management. For nearly 40 years, he assisted in managing residential care homes for the elderly and the central administration of major local NGOs. 

Mr. Chan has earned Master's degrees in Social Service Administration, Health Research, and Business Research, as well as an Executive Certificate in Non-profit Leadership (Harvard Kennedy). Additionally, he pursued coursework in Gerontology (HKU), Crisis Intervention (Maryland), Dementia Care (Bradford), and Digital Transformation (MIT). He is a Registered Social Worker and a Certified Social Work Supervisor.

Mr. Godwin Ng

Mr. Godwin Ng has 20 years of experience as a Barrister-at-Law in practice, specializing in tax and civil matters and 40 years as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). His extensive tax experience includes tax litigation in court and delivering tax seminars on offshore income, capital gains, cross-border transactions and tax investigations.  Over the years, he has actively contributed to budget recommendations through his participation in various professional associations. In service to the community, Mr. Ng held the position of Vice President at the Taxation Institute of Hong Kong previously. He holds an LLB from the University of London, a PCLL from the University of Hong Kong, and an MBA (Financial Services) awarded jointly by the Universities of Wales and Manchester.