IN Times Square, one of the most bustling business hubs of Hong Kong, Au Ka-ki and her husband ordered a cup of mango tea from HEYTEA, a popular drink chain that often sees long queues on the mainland. “I used to drink it a lot back in college in Guangzhou. It’s really a joy to be able to also find it here in Hong Kong,” she said.

Since its return to the motherland in 1997, Hong Kong has seen increasing cultural and business exchanges with the mainland. A growing number of mainland brands started branches in the city, while many mainland lifestyles and trends are also impacting the lives of Hong Kong citizens.

While studying in Guangzhou, Au had gotten used to buying daily necessities through e-commerce. Now as a young mother, Au still chooses to buy milk powder and diapers through mainland e-commerce sites. “Groceries from the mainland are usually cheaper and of more variety, and I can save a lot of time placing orders online,” she said. After payment, the goods would be first shipped to a warehouse in Guangzhou before being packaged together and delivered to a post station near Au’s home.

Rex Lin, a senior logistics advisor with Cainiao, the logistics arm of e-commerce giant Alibaba, said that since the opening of Cainiao’s first flagship post station in Causeway Bay last year, order volume of the station has been on the rise, indicating a soaring demand from Hong Kongers.

The online shopping bonanzas on the mainland are also well received by Hong Kong consumers. Lin said that during shopping festivals such as the Single’s Day shopping spree in November, logistics volume often skyrocketed.

The internet is not only changing the shopping and travel habits of Hong Kongers, but also facilitating the understanding of traditional Chinese culture among many Hong Kong citizens.

A fan of Chinese history and culture, Miffy Wong, 24, loves to watch videos and read posts on Douyin and Xiaohongshu, two mailand social media platforms. “Every time I read posts about Chinese poetry and the traditional clothing of the Han Chinese people, I was amazed by the wisdom of ancient Chinese,” she said.

Over the years, as the mainland cultural industry develops, many popular films and TV series from the mainland are also gaining traction in Hong Kong.

(Xinhua)