Beset by the chaotic scenery left behind by unremitting waves of civil unrest in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, fresh graduate Chris Tsang decided last year to figure out the next stage of his life somewhere away from home. He moved to Guangzhou, a place neither too distant nor unfamiliar to him. There, he was quick to find a new home.

As an integral part of the Greater Bay Area, Guangzhou has the natural advantage of offering preferential policies for Hongkongers looking to start a business in the mainland city. In Nansha, Guangzhou's southern district, a government-run pioneer park reserved exclusively for both Hong Kong and Macao graduates, was found by Tsang on the internet, and he soon became its resident.

To Tsang's delight, the park offered him both a three-year-free office rental and a living option that's much cheaper and better than what he could find on his own. Not only that, from business registration to filing tax returns, everything was taken care of by the park staff. "They helped us with a lot of things that we, as HK business starters, had difficulties in dealing with," Tsang said.

Comfortably settling in, Tsang launched a company dedicated to helping Hong Kong students pursue higher education on the mainland. That business idea, formed after he went to a university in Guangzhou, had much to do with his personal experience, a story he felt excited to share.

"When I was applying to Guangzhou's Jinan University, I ran into a lot of difficulties due to the scarcity and fragmentation of relevant information online," he said. "Though I eventually got in, I can imagine how hard it would be for other students trying to do the same, and that's when I began to explore the idea of translating it into a business opportunity."

The startup firm, which was only in operation for four months, already had some success. "I happened to ride the wave of increasing economic integration of the Greater Bay Area," Tsang said. "Nansha is positioned as the area's central pivot, and many policies have been introduced to benefit startups from Hong Kong and Macao." Having received the local government's endorsement, Tsang won a contract aiming to build an education center where HK students can learn about mainland opportunities.

Also active in the media circle, he found a large audience among many HK families. "After I shared what we know with those parents, they came to consult us and began showing an interest in our services."

Tsang's first real client was a 17-year-old boy who couldn't get into university in Hong Kong. "He had very bad grades, knew nothing about the mainland," Tsang said. "But his family, without knowing how, wanted to send him here." Tsang and his team then offered the anxious family a specifically tailored plan, and now the young student is very likely to receive an offer from Jinan University this year.

"This is a really big help for his family, and the boy is also very thankful for our service," Tsang said. "He did not have a promising future in Hong Kong. Coupled with the COVID-19 outbreak and what's going on in the HK society, 16-17-year-old students like him are having a very confusing time." Having tasted the first fruits of success, Tsang felt a sense of accomplishment for having helped the boy find his way.

While Tsang believes there will be more students willing to further their studies here, there are certain constraints. He said that getting into a mainland university is not many Hongkongers' first choice, as the better options would be staying in Hong Kong or going abroad. "But they rarely notice that the education quality here has improved substantially."

"Their views toward the mainland have more to do with long-held stereotypes and less to do with reality," he added.

Tsang believes he is serving as a bridge between Hong Kong and the mainland. "After HK students come here, they are not only receiving an education but also encouraged to form their own views about the place where they are studying. As for whether they will stay here in the future, we should let them figure out for themselves, instead of telling them straight."