Lawmakers Clash Over ‘Have Children Young’ Remark
SingTao · 2 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago5 MIN
Summary
A debate over Hong Kong’s low birth rate intensified after Federation of Trade Unions lawmaker Lee Kwong-yu (李廣宇) argued that reproductive technologies such as egg freezing may be an overlooked driver of delayed childbearing and said there remains a biological case for having children at a younger age. His comments drew public rebuttals from New People’s Party lawmakers Dominic Lee Ho-yin (何敬康) and Judy Chan Ka-pui (陳家珮), who said the argument unfairly blames women and technology while overlooking structural pressures. The exchange came after official data cited by Lee showed births in Hong Kong fell to 29,700 between mid-2025 and mid-2026, the first time the figure has dropped below 30,000 and the lowest since records began in the 1960s. Lee later said his intention was to share medical risk information rather than pressure anyone or deny women’s autonomy over fertility choices.
Key Points
- Lee said births in Hong Kong totaled 29,700 between mid-2025 and mid-2026, down sharply from 59,800 in the same period a decade earlier
- He argued egg freezing is often marketed as an “ultimate insurance policy”, creating false confidence that the fertility window can be extended indefinitely
- Lee cited a doctor friend as saying frozen eggs do not stop ageing of the uterus, blood vessels or overall physical condition
- Dominic Lee said long working hours, high home prices, inadequate childcare and heavy financial burdens are the real reasons for delayed childbirth.
- Judy Chan said telling women to “have children young” is a polished form of feudal thinking that reduces women to reproductive tools.
Why It Matters
The dispute has turned a demographic discussion into a wider argument about gender equality, personal autonomy and whether public debate on fertility is placing responsibility on individuals instead of policy failures. For Hong Kong readers, the immediate policy question is whether the government should focus more on housing, childcare and financial support, while also expanding subsidies for IVF and egg freezing rather than stigmatizing their use.