Alice Meng was rushed off her feet last Wednesday when Hong Kong said it would suspend its immigrant investor programme the next day, dashing the hopes of thousands of mainland Chinese millionaires.
“It was busier than my wedding day — my phone didn’t stop ringing,” said Ms Meng, Hong Kong director of Globevisa, China’s biggest immigration company. She said her office received almost 150 applications that day, more than it normally handled in a month.
The Hong Kong government said the aim was to attracttalented individuals to the Chinese territory rather than merely wealth. “Hong Kong currently doesn’t lack capital for investment,” said CY Leung, Hong Kong chief executive, as he announced the suspension. “We need talent.”