Cross-Border Retirement as a Strategic Response to Hong Kong’s Long-Term Care Challenges: Exploring Regional Integration in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area in China

Hong Kong, a super-aged society with over 20% of its population aged 65 and above, faces substantial long-term care (LTC) challenges, including increasing demand, workforce shortages, and fiscal pressures. This chapter analyses policy documents, government reports, and academic literature to evaluate cross-border retirement to the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) as a potential strategy. It highlights the GBA’s expanding silver economy, advanced facilities, and affordable services as avenues for regional cooperation, reframing ageing challenges as catalysts for economic growth. However, barriers such as regulatory differences, limited healthcare portability, and trust concerns restrict participation. Drawing on existing literature from various sources, the chapter proposes ‘soft linkage’ mechanisms, such as harmonizing standards and qualifications, to promote collaboration. These approaches offer mutual benefits by alleviating Hong Kong’s LTC burdens while simultaneously enhancing the GBA’s elder care sector and supporting sustainable silver market development.