HK01

Overseas travelers sit in front of their screens, tapping away to activate their smart assistants. A mainland AI-powered itinerary planning tool has recently been integrated into the Hong Kong market. Tourists no longer need to consult travel guides or search websites; they simply input a command: "Please plan the most authentic four-day, three-night itinerary in Hong Kong." Instantly, attractions, accommodations, and transportation routes are displayed. Travelers no longer manually search and filter; the choice is increasingly handed over to algorithms. The Hong Kong SAR government's latest Policy Address 2026 proposes AI tourism applications, introducing personalized travel suggestions through Discover Hong Kong, but this thinking remains at the level of digital promotion. As international technology platforms increasingly become gateways to tourism information, if the government only focuses on developing interfaces, it is tantamount to mistaking digital promotion for digital infrastructure. The government's role has never been to personally develop tourism platforms, much less to compete with multinational technology companies for traffic.

September 12th is the United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation. A few days ago, a silent power struggle unfolded in the UN General Assembly hall. African countries spearheaded a resolution on "correcting maps," which was overwhelmingly adopted. The resolution encourages the world to adopt the equal-area geodetic projection method for maps. For over 400 years, the world has been accustomed to Mercator maps, where the high-latitude European and American tectonic plates are invisibly magnified, resulting in a long-term distortion of the vast territory of Africa on paper. Why are African countries so concerned about a map redrawing? Because what they are fighting for is not merely the territory on paper, but the right to define "what constitutes development." This pursuit of visual cognitive justice reflects a profound shift in global governance concepts.

The ivory tower is tainted with the stench of money, a truly disheartening sight. The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) has indicted a University of Hong Kong associate professor, alleging he accepted HK$2.2 million in bribes when approving an information technology education project worth over HK$10 million. While the public clamors for digital education and bureaucrats lavishly spend money, when the original purpose of education is absent, even the most elaborate technological projects are nothing more than easy prey for vested interests. Such carelessness in administrative funding is reflected in the eerily quiet Legislative Council chambers. A review of the recent Legislative Council session records reveals very few oral inquiries specifically addressing youth issues or calling on the Home Affairs and Youth Affairs Bureau. Politicians have disregarded the concerns of young people; ultimately, this stems from a mindset of prioritizing material gain over human connection. No matter how grand the blueprint for the future, without providing a stage for young people to shine, it remains nothing but empty rhetoric.