Speech by CS at Youth Development Summit Hong Kong (with photos/video)
Following is the speech by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, at the Youth Development Summit Hong Kong today (November 7):
Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Good morning. Welcome to Hong Kong and to the third edition of the Youth Development Summit.
I'm delighted to speak to you this morning - young leaders and officials from Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland and 35 countries and regions. Your contributions today are essential to the Summit's success.
This year's Summit theme, "Pioneering New Horizons, Venturing into the Future," perfectly captures the forward-thinking mindset essential to the next generation - to you and your promising future.
"To pioneer" means having the courage to break new ground, to embrace emerging fields such as artificial intelligence and cultural innovation. And "to venture" means stepping boldly beyond comfort zones, turning uncertainty into opportunity and building connections across borders.
That's precisely why we are here today - to provide the setting, resources and global network you need to take that big step with confidence.
I'm pleased to say that Hong Kong has excelled in global rankings over the past few years. We have consistently ranked as the world's freest economy and are now second in the world for competitiveness.
We are also the world's third-ranked international financial centre, behind only New York and London, and have risen to fourth, globally, in talent competitiveness.
These international standings have put a bright spotlight on Hong Kong's development as an economy and a community, while emphasising the world's confidence in us. They also underline Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability under "One Country, Two Systems."
In September, the Chief Executive announced Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan to align with national development strategies and expand our global competitiveness and influence.
The Five-Year Plan is our strategic blueprint for the city's economic and social development over the next five years.
Like the Five-Year Plan, this year's Policy Address puts a priority on youth development.
Initiatives include the establishment of the International Young Talent Exchange Base and the strengthening of our co-operation with international organisations. Both are designed to help the youth of Hong Kong go global.
We are also expanding youth internship and training activities. They target such key sectors and areas as finance, aerospace technology, high-end scientific research, AI and start-ups.
I'm confident these and other measures will, ultimately, help Hong Kong youth serve the needs of our economy, our community and our country. That includes participating in the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, as well as the Belt and Road Initiative.
Then there's our Youth Development Blueprint. Since its establishment, four years ago, the Blueprint has implemented nearly 300 initiatives. I'm pleased to say these include the annual Youth Development Summit.
We will continue to deepen patriotic education for young people, while helping them broaden their international horizons. The goal is to ensure that our youth are raised with an affection for the country and Hong Kong, and equipped with a global perspective, an aspiring mindset and positive thinking.
This Summit showcases our commitment to you - to welcoming a world of young talent and visitors to Hong Kong.
That includes some 20 prominent speakers, from government officials and young entrepreneurs to business professionals and creative talent.
In today's sessions, they will share their invaluable insights on applying diversified development to broaden your career and life horizons.
Ladies and gentlemen, your future begins right here, right now.
I know you will enjoy today's Youth Development Summit. And I wish you all an unforgettable stay in Hong Kong, Asia's world city. Your world city.
Thank you.
Speech by CS at Youth Development Summit Hong Kong Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Speech by CS at Youth Development Summit Hong Kong Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Source: AI-found images
Speech by SHYA at Youth Development Summit Hong Kong
Following is the speech by the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak, at the Youth Development Summit Hong Kong today (November 7):
Mr Kingmano Phommahaxay (Vice Minister of Education and Sports of Lao People's Democratic Republic), Mr Kairat Kambarov (the Chairman of the Youth and Family Affairs Committee, Ministry of Culture and Information, the Republic of Kazakhstan), Lieutenant General (Rtd) Karenzi Karake Emmanuel (the Ambassador of the Republic of Rwanda to the People's Republic of China), Dato' Rahimi Ismail (the Secretary General of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Malaysia), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Good morning. It gives me great pleasure to welcome you all to Hong Kong, and to this third edition of the Youth Development Summit. Some of you have travelled from a neighbouring city; others have crossed oceans to be here. Today's event is an ideal platform for you to foster friendships and exchange ideas on the boundless possibilities of tomorrow. Thousands of bright minds in one room: if energy could be harvested, we could power the entire city today.
The theme of our Summit this year is "Pioneering New Horizons, Venturing into the Future." This is not just a slogan; it is a shared vision: to push past limits and to take a bold step forward, every single day.
Earlier this morning, you heard the Chief Executive and the Chief Secretary highlighting Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan. This blueprint is deeply exciting because it puts youth development at the very heart of our city's future.
The Five-Year Plan sets out two core directions for driving youth development: first, enhancing youth development opportunities, and second, supporting young people in pursuing their dreams. Simply put, we strive to foster a conducive environment where young people can thrive, we provide broader platforms for young people to nurture diverse talents, and to unleash their full potential.
To bring these strategic directions to life, we are rolling out a series of robust new initiatives. Hong Kong enjoys a unique advantage: we are backed by our country and are closely connected to the world. Think of us as a "super connector" between the Chinese Mainland and the rest of the world, and we are here to help young people to unlock this potential and seize the immense opportunities.
Central to our mission is to launch a number of targeted programmes. For future financiers, a new thematic finance internship programme in the Mainland will place young people inside large financial institution to experience the rapid development of the Mainland market first-hand. For those whose ambitions are quite literally sky-high, we are launching thematic aerospace training activities to build your knowledge. For the scientists among you, we are increasing the number of thematic internship places relating to high-end scientific research at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, putting our youth right at the frontier of top-notch innovation. And, to make sure you are ready for the jobs of tomorrow, we are rolling out new AI experiential activities to deepen your understanding of artificial intelligence applications and the wider tech industry.
But our vision does not stop at our national borders. We want you to go global. I am proud to announce that we are launching the International Young Talent Exchange Base this year, linking three of our core youth facilities, through which we will gather global youth talent and host dynamic activities that spark cross-cultural exchange. In fact, some of our international delegates are hosted at the Youth Post Hostel, a dynamic place capturing the energy and beauty of Victoria Harbour.
Looking ahead, we will establish regular exchange platforms with various international organisations. Not only are we looking to bring large-scale international conferences here to Hong Kong and the Mainland, we are also identifying unique opportunities for our youth to broaden their international horizons. To name a few, we are launching a new HYAB (Home and Youth Affairs Bureau) - United Nations Youth Leaders Internship Programme, offering one-year placements in various United Nations agencies. This time, we are expanding the eligibility to include working youth, because the pursuit of dreams should not stop at graduation. We are also collaborating with the International Organization for Mediation for creating opportunities for our youth to participate in related affairs.
And of course, we will continue to develop this very Youth Development Summit as our flagship brand, convening brilliant young minds from around the world year after year. We hope this platform continues to spark meaningful dialogues and foster cross-cultural exchanges among the global youth community.
As we spearhead several new youth development initiatives, we remain equally committed to our ongoing efforts. Since the release of the Youth Development Blueprint in 2022, we have put forward more than 340 measures. This is a living, breathing framework that is responsive to our youth's changing needs.
As reflected in the theme of this Summit, we recognise the transformative power of pushing one's limits by stepping out of the comfort zone. That is why we continue to champion our extensive suite of exchange and internship programmes, which benefited around 40 000 young people in the past year alone. Whether you are interested in youth exchange or youth internship; whether you are looking to explore Mainland opportunities or go global, there is always a door waiting to be opened at any stage of your life journey, tailored to your unique interest and aspiration.
Hong Kong sits at the heart of the world's number one innovation cluster, and ranks among the global top performers for creative outputs. It remains our top priority for young people to get the help to turn their creative ideas into economic momentum. We have partnered with Cyberport and the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks to connect young people with hands-on local start-up internship opportunities, fostering the next generation of innovation and technology leaders. Next year, we are expanding the programme by adding new positions at the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park at the Lok Ma Chau Loop and boosting total places from 200 to 300, supported by robust salary subsidies.
In recent years, the entrepreneurial atmosphere has also been booming across different cities in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) including Hong Kong. Thousands of Hong Kong young entrepreneurs have already settled in the Mainland cities of the GBA to harness its vast market potential and robust supply chain networks to accelerate their businesses. For the innovators and trailblazers among you out there, do explore our various funding schemes for youth entrepreneurship programmes, and let your venture be the next success we celebrate!
Amidst all the support measures, active youth engagement has always been the core of our youth development strategies. In just three years, our Youth Link network has grown into a community of over 40 000 members. Through this platform, our members have engaged directly with senior government officials through regular Youth Dialogue sessions. This year, our members experienced Hong Kong's historic moments firsthand rather than on the evening news. Some members had the invaluable opportunity to join the Hong Kong SAR delegation to witness the monumental launch of Shenzhou-23 crewed spaceflight mission, celebrating Hong Kong's first-ever astronaut; while others volunteered at the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Finance Ministers' Meeting, greeting the delegations led by top regional financial leaders.
For those who prefer opportunities delivered straight to their pocket, our one-stop mobile app, HKYouth+, makes it easy to explore activities and programmes tailored to your interests. Registered members also enjoy exclusive perks - movie ticket discounts and even buy-one-get-one-free coffee. I am assured by my younger colleagues that free coffee is the universal language of youth, so do download it!
Our young friends, you are venturing into a fast-changing world with more challenges-and yet more extraordinary frontiers than ever before. Rather than simply adapting to this changing world, you possess the power to actively shape its future. As you step into these new horizons, remember: Hong Kong continues to be the strongest launchpad for your global ambitions. We are fully committed to clearing the hurdles in your path, supporting your journey across education, employment, entrepreneurship, and home ownership, and providing you with the global platforms on which to thrive.
Our ultimate vision remains steadfast: to nurture a new generation of young people with a global perspective, an ambitious drive, and a positive mindset. You are the backbone of our long-term economic and social development, and the driving force that will shape our future.
So, make the most of today. Engage deeply in the thematic sessions this afternoon, speak up, share your unique perspectives, and talk to the strangers sitting next to you, because today's stranger may well be tomorrow's co-founder, collaborator, or a lifelong friend.
I wish you all a highly fruitful Summit, and to our guests from abroad, a spectacular and memorable stay in Hong Kong. Do try the food and come back often. Thank you very much.
Source: AI-found images
