Having kids not a priority for many

View Gallery 2 Photos

Some 30 percent of people say they do not want to have children in Hong Kong as they are worried about education problems, a dating company's survey has found.

HK Romance Dating surveyed 719 single persons and couples between September and October, and found that while 70 percent of respondents would like to get married in three years, about 60 percent of respondents said it's not a must for them to have children.

However, 30 percent of the interviewees said they would not consider giving birth in Hong Kong. Among them, 60 percent worry about children's education.

Founder of HK Romance Dating, Anita Cheung Wai-ping said the cost of raising a child in Hong Kong is high - HK$4 million to raise a child is no longer practical.

Additionally, housing is their next concern.

"Some clients are not considering having children until they can get a flat," said Cheung.

Cheung urged the government to allocate funds to encourage childbearing and provide subsidies to families, helping them to buy a flat.

Yubi Wong Ka-yu, co-founder of HK Romance Dating, suggested the government extend maternity leave to raise Hong Kong women's willingness to give birth.
×