In 2030 Hong Kong will have one of the most elderly populations in the Asia pacific region with 1 in 4 people over the age of 65 and 6.8% (550,000 people) over 80 years of age.

It’s population will have risen from 7.264 million today to 8.2 million, males life expectancy will rise to 83.5 years and females to 89.9 years. On the back of this in 2030 the annual population growth rate will only be 0.6% due to birth rate declines, increasing death rates requiring active immigration to maintain its population and workforce.

On the back of a recent report I put out on Australia 2030, Phil Whelan of Hong Kong Radio 3 and I took a look at Hong Kong 2030 and compared it to Australia 2030 to find that there were similarities in our aging populations, our changing workforce and our global positioning.

We also asked the question of what the Chinese government may be and look like in 2030 and what Hong Kong’s status within China might be in just 15 years from now.

A fascinating chat of two cultures facing one future landscape, have a listen now and then share your thoughts (13 minutes 50 seconds).