News

Claims that hype HK as an IFC ruin lead us to ponder roots of the city's internationalism. And it's clear that young people with a global perspective are indispensable. The Joint School Foreign Affairs Association and Shanghai-Hong Kong Development Institute co-organized the inaugural International Relations Cup, where debate teams explored international issues. Does the world today need a hegemon? Can carbon tariffs drive a green economy? We'll continue to promote the study of international affairs and cultivate a new generation adept at grasping the pulse of the world.

The latest score of One Country Two Systems Index increased slightly by 0.02 to 6.04 compared to six months ago. Citizens rated highly in 'democratic development' (+8.1%). I believe that improvements in district governance regenerated civic space and community networks, providing greater sense of gain in public services. However, after a year of border reopening, our economy has yet to show signs of recovery, leading to a lack of confidence in 'maintaining long-term prosperity and stability' (-10.9%). This prompts Hongkoners to contemplate how to leverage advantages of the two systems.

At the Yan Oi Tong Youth Space expo, we saw young innovators turn their ideas into reality. Social enterprises incubated by us showcased their passion and success with community partners. I'm proud of the board's decision to continue this program with its own resources post-government funding. Thanks to generous private donations, we're reviving our incubation scheme to kick start more social enterprises. The next round will be even more participatory, engaging the local community to find innovative solutions for urban problems. Let's make a difference together!

Students from 15 secondary schools completed the 2nd The Legislators youth training programme. During the past six months, they learned about legislative affairs, interned at lawmakers' offices and debated as model legislators. This year, students were grouped to develop three projects on social innovation, policy research and media communications. We hope to broaden their understanding of a political career and enable students with different interests and skills to find their place in the public sphere.

Sun Yat-sen University and Jinan University are China's most prestigious institutes on HK and Macau economy and society. Path of Democracy and Hong Kong Academy of Politics and Public Policy Alumni Association visited Guangzhou to learn from these national advisors. We shared our views on Hong Kongers' attitudes towards emigration and the Greater Bay Area. We also exchanged experience on index compilation and sentiment analysis. It was a huge encouragement that our One Country Two Systems Index had made an impression!

Yan Oi Tong YES Youth Academy provides career planning services to 16 secondary schools this year, kicked off by the "Dare to Dream and Create a Future – Youth Career Planning and Career Experience Exhibition". The venue has four industry experience areas, allowing students to explore the nursing industry, wedding and banquet planning industry, digital media industry, and testing and certification industry. We hope that young people can understand the development trends of different industries, continue to learn, improve their skills, and choose a career path that suits their interests and abilities.

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.