Recently, there was an eye-catching post in a popular online forum stating that people should "bring HK$1 million to enjoy life in second- or third-tier cities on the mainland". The writer of the post made a rough calculation for living expenses, which included HK$200,000 (160,000 yuan) for buying a flat.

The post caused heated discussion on the mainland although most of the comments are mocking. One of the reasons is that the writer has underestimated the cost of living. In fact, the housing price keeps on rising in recent years although the central government has introduced a number of cooling policies. According to the China Index Academy, in March, the average price of new homes in 100 major mainland cities was 9,998 yuan per square meter, and the median price was 6,892 yuan per square meter. If we take the median price, the writer of the post can only afford a flat of 23 square meters, not including decoration and buying furniture.

In first-tier cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, the cost of living is close to Hong Kong. The price of some commodities like drinks and food sold in chained restaurants in those cities is sometimes even higher than in Hong Kong. In recent years, some elderly Hong Kong people who planned to enjoy retirement in Guangdong have been forced to return to Hong Kong since their savings were exhausted by unexpectedly high inflation, and exchange-rate changes between the Hong Kong dollar and the yuan.

This issue reflects the fact that some Hong Kong people's perception and understanding has not evolved in tandem with the pace of development on the mainland. In fact, if you take some time to visit the mainland, the calculation is not far from the reality.

This problem may be caused by parents and children themselves. For reasons both historic and personal, some Hong Kong parents refuse to have any connection with the mainland. Their personal preferences may hinder their children from learning about the mainland. Their children will form views based only on news and hearsay, which cannot always cover the whole picture of development on the mainland. Trips to the mainland organized by schools and organizations are often described as brainwashing. These reasons further deter direct experiences.

Besides, the environment where they grow discourages Hong Kong children from visiting the mainland. Most of the students study at kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, and even universities in Hong Kong. But their personal networks are limited to Hong Kong and thus they seldom seek opportunities on the mainland. Even when they have opportunities to study with mainlanders in local universities, they are inclined to stay in Cantonese groups. In contrast, mainland children usually leave their hometowns when they are young, and start their careers in other cities. They are used to changes in their lives.

Under these circumstances, understanding of the mainland by Hong Kong's younger generation may not be accurate and even far from the truth. Misunderstanding and mistrust towards mainlanders by some Hong Kong people may persist and intensify when incidents happen.

Hong Kong children should be encouraged to explore the mainland directly. They may be shocked by the clash of living styles, eating habits, personal relationships and so forth. At the same time, they may discover the mainland is a developing economy suffering problems such as pollution, a widening wealth gap and heavy road congestion. But our younger generation should be given chances to widen their horizons. Otherwise, our city cannot keep its competitive advantages such as understanding both the country and the West.

From the past to the future, the destiny of Hong Kong depends on the mainland. Unnecessary fears and worries can only be eradicated by direct experiences. No matter whether you like or dislike the mainland, it is strongly recommended to visit deeply and frequently.

The author is secretary-general of Hong Kong Association of Young Commentators.

(HK Edition 04/18/2013 page9)