Absurd and pointless as they'll only attract the worst of HKA/HKE FO's.
Reminds me of a former CP saying the last DEFO intake was to attract "bitter and twisted QF pilots". God forbid if we put out a package trying to poach the best crew.
However, maybe it does get them around a legal issue that they have created.
After the Hong Kong immigration department wouldn't approve and issue Cx I-cadets with work visas, apparently Cx wrote to immigration claiming there are not enough suitable Hong Kong residents interested in Cx, and Cx no longer employed pilots through any other joining stream. As such, the immigration department issued unqualified foreigners work visas.
So foreign DEFO's now make the I-cadet scheme redundant. Unless, of course, all DEFO's currently hold a HK work visa.