At a Hong Kong-Macao international youth innovation center in Nansha,MK sport South China's Guangdong Province, Hong Kong entrepreneur Chris Lee is teaching Hong Kong and Macao students how to create traditional "Guochao" (Chinese trends) dolls, using needlework to make their outfits.

Alliance of Hong Kong Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurial Bases in the Greater Bay Area is officially launched in Hong Kong on December 15, 2023. Photos: VCG

Lee's team is among the first batch of entrepreneurial teams to join the Hong Kong-Macao international youth innovation center and he has also been recognized as a practitioner of China's intangible cultural heritage in "handcrafted clothing techniques."

"Hong Kong people often say that saving is earning. What people call my 'success secret' is just taking a step into a different direction and saving on costs," he said.

Lee has no regrets about starting his business on the mainland, believing that entrepreneurship often requires creating opportunities rather than waiting for money.

In June, the multimedia publication Building Dreams in the Greater Bay Area, published by the Guangdong Dayin Audio-Visual Publishing House, featured the entrepreneurial experiences of 11 youth from Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions (SARs), including Chris Lee.

"With the recent release of the 'Guangzhou Nansha Deepening Comprehensive Cooperation with the World' plan by the State Council, Nansha has been given a new strategic role as a key platform in the Greater Bay Area (GBA)," the editorial committee of the publishing house told the Global Times.

Guochao inheritance

A modern and open city, Nansha attracts a significant number of young people from Hong Kong and Macao, who come from a variety of backgrounds and aim at aligning their own personal development with current  national strategies. 

Indeed, for many Hong Kong and Macao youth, Nansha has become the first choice for innovation and entrepreneurship, thus they often join the locals in pursuing their childhood dreams or realizing their family's mission in the GBA. Their stories are intriguing and worth listening to.

"In the era of fast consumption, handmade needlework has been largely replaced by machines. I hope to protect this craft by simplifying traditional techniques and offering specially designed courses," Lee said.

Lee, born in Hong Kong, chose to start his business in Nansha due to the strong support and favorable local policies aimed at young Hong Kong and Macao entrepreneurs.

His interest in needlework stems from his family background. Both his grandmother and mother worked in the prosperous Hong Kong textile industry and their skills were passed down through generations.

By combining traditional needlework with modern design, Lee introduced the renowned "Guochao Doll" series and through collaboration with local Nansha businesses and integrating the intangible heritage technique of "Xiangyun silk," he launched a range of innovative cultural products.

Today, his company is not only a protector of "handcrafted clothing techniques" but it is also recognized as an "Intangible Cultural Heritage Transmission Base." His entrepreneurial journey showcases the fusion of traditional craftsmanship with modern design, injecting new vitality into traditional Chinese culture.

A general view of the Victoria Harbor in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, on February 13

Talent exchange

Can Hong Kong students study at universities on the Chinese mainland? This is a common question Chris Tsang has been asked throughout his career.

Born into a cross-border family with a Hong Kong mother and a Huizhou father, Tsang brought the Lion Rock spirit with him from Hong Kong to Guangzhou, choosing to settle in Nansha to pursue his dreams.

Since the beginning his goals were very simple: "Make more local friends, see the country's landscapes first-hand, visit different places, try different foods, and understand different cultures to broaden your horizons," Tsang told Global Times.

While studying at Jinan University in Guangzhou, his classmates spent all their time in classrooms and libraries, Tsang, instead, preferred to explore outside, eagerly engaging in part-time jobs and internships.

"I preferred practical experience outside school to researching in classrooms. I wanted to try new things and meet people."

After graduating, Tsang returned to Hong Kong to work. Although his income there was good, he wasn't satisfied. Riding the wave of the GBA's development, Tsang decided to leave his Hong Kong job and venture into Chinese mainland education sector, leveraging policy advantages and personal experience. 

In 2020, Tsang founded an educational technology company to create a one-stop platform for Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and overseas Chinese students seeking education on the mainland. Keywords like mainland education, Bay Area integration, and youth entrepreneurship highlight Tsang's journey from confusion to clarity, from a traveler to a guide, embodying the ideals and responsibilities of the new generation. 

Many interviewees expressed confidence and high expectations for the future development of the GBA and Nansha. 

They believe that with the rapid development of the Chinese mainland, the influx of Hong Kong and Macao youth into the GBA will be a "two-way journey."

The editorial committee of the publishing house expressed the hope that more young people, driven by a desire for opportunities and future aspirations, will move from Nansha to the GBA.

"Stay committed to your dreams, expand your social circle, stay patient and confident, and gain a deep understanding of local culture," they said.