Population Growth In Hong Kong

Tsang S. (2007) discussed that the whole Hong Kong became a colony of Britain in 1989 after the several negotiations between China and Britain. Britain wanted Hong Kong to be its colony owing to its proximity to China, where the British could make great profit. Hong Kong can be a ported to support the expansion of British trades and profit in China in order to support its imperial expansion. Corroll (2007) summarised that a consensus of hanging over the sovereignty from Britain to China was made in the 60s. And it took place on 1st July 1997, when Hong Kong was no longer a colony and China claimed that Hong Kong was home. Titmuss R. (1959) said that welfare is all collective interventions to meet certain needs of individual and or to

At that period of time, Hong Kong was used as a free port for the trade in China only. Like the other colonies, the social needs of the people were neglected and the policies implemented were out of the benefit of the British government instead of the local interest. Local community and the charitable organisations were the major sources of welfare.

Xu (1993) analysis that the population growth in Kong Kong in 1841to 1941 was a mechanical increase. The population was mostly the new immigrants from the mainland China owing to the labour shortage for economic development in Hong Kong and the labour surplus in China. The Chinese rushed to Hong Kong not only to make a living but also in pursuit of more stable society in Hong Kong. The hygiene and housing problems followed because of the hilly landscape of Hong Kong, as well as the over-centralization of a population. The poor living environment and the lack of proper medical treatment were the reasons for the short life expectancy among the Chinese , which was recorded 18.33 in

Hong Kong had just become a colony of Britain. The British tried not to intervene any matter of the Chinese. Tang (1998) pointed that the colonial government adopted the approach of minimal state and hoped that the Hong Kong government could be self-sufficient. Public expenditure should be minimized just for the basics and administrations was little to meet the needs of the Chinese. It upheld the family value and advocated self-reliance so that government's resources and welfare should be used once no personal resources are not available. This was one of the ways for the government to reduce its cost in social welfare. Therefore, the Britain government can avoid any funding in its colonies. Xu (1993) described that mobility was one of the major characteristics of the population of Hong Kong. Without a sense of local identity, people, regardless of race and nationality, treated Hong Kong as a place to make money and they would probably return to their home countries after retirement. This characteristic made the colonial government to provide welfare for the people, as they were neither human resources for Hong Kong development nor worthy for long-term