Hong Kong’s No 2 official has dismissed concerns that mainland Chinese residents are exploiting local talent admission schemes by giving birth in the city, saying only a “small minority” of applicants did so.

Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki, who chairs a government committee on education, technology and talent, also warned on Wednesday that anyone who moved to the city through a talent scheme only to give birth, without any intention of gaining employment, would be in violation of the law.

A few recent posts on Chinese social media platform RedNote claimed that mainlanders who want Hong Kong identity cards for their children could move to the city through its talent schemes. They could become pregnant and have children in the city after they settle down, the posts suggested.

The city currently has at least seven talent admission schemes. Over 95 per cent of applicants to one of them, the Top Talent Pass Scheme rolled out in 2022, were from the mainland.

Weighing in on the issue, Chan said any applicant of a talent admission scheme must declare their purpose for coming to Hong Kong.

“If the actual purpose [of these applicants] is to give birth rather than to work, this could constitute a false declaration, which is illegal,” he warned after a closed-door exchange with lawmakers at the legislature’s antechamber.

“We expect all talent coming to Hong Kong to strictly follow the purposes stated in their applications. It’s not acceptable to apply for one purpose while actually intending to do something else.”