Expats pack up in Hong Kong

Hong Kong's expatriate population has plunged by a third in five years as British, Australian, American and Canadian citizens leave in their thousands. As the former British colony prepares for the 10th anniversary of its return to Chinese rule, figures show the number of Western expatriates has fallen from 106,740 in 2001 to 71,150 last year.

Analysts say the fall has been caused by the increasing localisation of jobs as well as expensive international schools and worsening air pollution.