Many adventurous Hong Kong entrepreneurs have participated in and benefited from the creation of the “Shenzhen miracle”, to the envy of many young people in the special administrative region who missed the chance because it happened before they were born.  

But the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area will offer the younger generations equally — if not more — enviable opportunities for career development and self-realization — but only if they care to grab them. 

Whatever the naysayers say about the mega project, they can rest assured that many more economic miracles are on the way as the region moves toward its goal of becoming a world-class urban cluster that could rival famous bay areas such as San Francisco, New York and Tokyo. 

If the “Shenzhen miracle” is anything to go by, there is little doubt the Bay Area will succeed in its endeavors. After all, the project is a major national development strategy, as reaffirmed by President Xi Jinping in his Wednesday speech marking the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the special economic zone. With the blessing of the central government, the project will enjoy all kinds of policy support it needs to succeed.

The question is, how can Hong Kong’s young people, many of whom have never set foot on the mainland for various reasons, including the lack of a sense of belonging to the motherland, avail themselves of those opportunities? 

While the physical distance between Hong Kong and other Bay Area cities is short, especially after the construction of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and the connection of Hong Kong with the nationwide high-speed train network, the psychological distance still prevents many Hong Kong youth from looking for greener pastures across the mainland boundary.

This psychological distance, mainly caused by years of anti-China and anti-communist propaganda, can only be removed by having a full view of the nation’s latest development and situation. This suggests the need for seeing, hearing and watching in person, which is also the most effective way for anyone to learn about the world. 

It is against this backdrop that the president called for new measures to encourage more young people from Hong Kong and Macao to study, work and live on the mainland. 

Dare you, Hong Kong youth, come out of your seemingly comfortable cocoons and embrace the wonderful opportunities your motherland has for you?