HONG KONG -- Hong Kong saw a record decline in the city's residents in the past year as many fled the financial hub to escape strict COVID-19 isolation measures and Beijing's tightening grip on society.
Hong Kong's population stood at 7.29 million as of the end of June, down 121,500, or 1.6%, from a year earlier, the city government said Thursday. The decline is the steepest since 1961, the earliest year for which data is available.
