HONG KONG, Dec. 1 -- Hong Kong should restore order and peace as soon as possible to retain talent, a senior official of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government said here Sunday.

Chief Secretary for Administration Matthew Cheung urged immediate efforts to bring back peace to Hong Kong in a bid to rebuild the confidence and trust of the international community, as well as the global image of Hong Kong, in his weekly online article.

It is unavoidable that some local and international talent consider building a career elsewhere for various reasons in the current situation, Cheung said.

However, Cheung stressed that there is no massive brain drain in Hong Kong, whose advantages and competitiveness are still recognized by international institutions.

The senior official said fostering and attracting top talent is crucial to the development of Hong Kong, which is facing the challenge of an aging population and a labor shortage.

He also said that the HKSAR government will continue working on a human resource plan to make Hong Kong more competitive and help the younger generation to grasp the opportunity of development.