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Western democracies, socialist countries, absolute monarchies and civil societies all make use of deliberative processes to form political choices. Students from Back to the Constitutional Conference took their first look at the Chinese system of political consultation. We compared how voting and deliberation differ in terms of interest aggregation and decision-making efficiency. We discussed how government chooses between sharing power with the mass and the elites. Students continued to critique the dichotomy between capitalism and socialism. Truly impressed by these deep thinkers!

Who says young people are unmotivated and prefer to "lie flat" under social challenges? The Hong Kong Joint School Foreign Affairs Association is recently set up to keep abreast of the more and more contentious international trade, sovereignty disputes and human rights issues. Its debut invited two Big Four partners Cyrus Cheung and Chu Ka Lok, HKU scholar Brian Wong and me to talk about the future status of Hong Kong as an international financial centre. We encouraged students to stay informed about global dynamics and develop cross-cultural abilities.

The YES Youth Institute launched by Yan Oi Tong will help primary and secondary students in Hong Kong to build positive attitudes in life, identify market opportunities and climb career ladders. I am grateful to be part of this edifying journey. Hope my years working with young people can be translated into helpful advices so that our next generation can fully prepare themselves for different life stages to achieve personal goals and embrace their future.

The Hong Kong 200 Leadership Programme selects 200 student leaders every year from all secondary schools in Hong Kong. I return to this big family as both an alumnus and a trainer. These future changemakers learn how to conduct policy research and carry out advocacy by understanding positions of different stakeholders and responding to every citizen with the art of compromise.

Democratic Thinking submitted the "Recommendations for the 2023 Policy Address" to Chief Executive Li Jiachao today. Deputy Secretary of the Department of Justice Zhang Guojun and Deputy Director of the Medical and Health Bureau Dr. Li Xiayin listened to their opinions. We proposed that the government should strengthen the promotion of national Constitution education, establish an international commercial court, and improve rehabilitation programs for social activist youth.

The fight against COVID-19 pandemic officially concluded in the beginning of 2023. Border reopening symbolized the reconnection with mainland China. Close cross-boundary ties, once disrupted, were reforging and citizens shared a strong sense of getting back on track. Despite improvement of democratic culture from the disappearance of violent scenes, political pluralism was not as vibrant. A stronger local support compensated the gradual decline in international perception and contributed to an overall growth in the 1C2S Index. The latest reading for 2023 H1 rose by 1.7% from 5.92 to 6.02.

It's a good time to rethink my last decade in think tanks and universities. Path of Democracy focuses on core issues of HK-Mainland relations and Shanghai-Hong Kong Development Institute is the first research unit jointly established by universities in mainland China and Hong Kong after the handover. In a recent Beijing-HK think tank symposium hosted by the Hong Kong Alumni Association of Beijing Universities, I shared experience of cross-region collaboration from three aspects: joint research, academic exchange and talent development.

Many families will travel around the world as summer holiday has begun. Starting with our passport, we talked about privileges of being a Hong Kong resident. Teacher said these primary school kids signed up by themselves to come back to school after class. I'm impressed by their curiosity to learn how relevant are the Constitution and Basic Law to our daily lives!

See how middle school students serve as trade representatives of eight countries, attend simulated international meetings, and decide on cross-border recovery measures after the epidemic. I analyze with them how countries around the world find their position, identify allies, and engage in negotiations.

As early cohort alumni, we share with candidates of the Hong Kong 200 Leadership Project our paths 10+ years after the transformative training. Every year, 200 student leaders from high schools will get equipped with future skills. When they grow up, will they make their voice heard through doing research?