Chinese mainland Olympic stars wrap up inspiring visit to Hong Kong

Young athletes and students in Hong Kong have been inspired by the unity, perseverance, and determination of Chinese mainland Olympians, who wrapped up their three-day visit to the financial hub city on Saturday.

The visiting delegation to Hong Kong includes 65 athletes and eight coaches from 16 different sports, 59 of them gold medalists. On Thursday, upon the delegation's arrival, the Hong Kong SAR government held a welcome ceremony and banquet, welcoming the Olympic athletes from the mainland along with people from all walks of life to share in the joy of the Olympics and experience the Olympic spirit.

"The excellent performance of our athletes not only showcased the sporting prowess of the People's Republic of China and the Chinese sportsmanship, but also demonstrated the united efforts of the Chinese nation and the high standards of our national values," John Lee, chief executive of the HKSAR, said at the welcome banquet.

During their visit to Hong Kong, the Olympic athletes engaged with local youth at institutions such as St. Paul's College and Hong Kong Metropolitan University, sharing their experiences of perseverance, determination, and achieving glory for the nation.

At an exchange event held at the Tseung Kwan Fire and Ambulance Services Academy on Friday, the athletes demonstrated their weightlifting and table tennis skills, provided guidance on boxing techniques, shared tips on racewalking, and offered swimming advice. At the Hong Kong Sports Institute, the Olympic stars joined Hong Kong athletes in taking on challenges in cycling and squash.

"I feel very excited and thrilled -- it's my first time seeing our national team athletes in person. I learned a lot from the insights they just shared, and I also hope that one day I can achieve great results and success like they have," said Ng Chi-ching, a Hong Kong freestyle rope skipping athlete who participated in the activity held at Hong Kong Metropolitan University.

"Today has been very enjoyable. I hope we can work together to improve our skills and win more medals on the world stage," said Chan Ming-tai, Hong Kong track and field athlete who joined the Olympians at the Hong Kong Sports Institute.

"This time, the national team is visiting the Hong Kong Sports Institute for exchanges, and I can feel the atmosphere is very enthusiastic. I hope to learn from them and that we can all work hard together to achieve good results and bring honor to our country, " said Leung Yu-hong, a Hong Kong wushu sanda athlete at the Hong Kong Sports Institute.

On Friday evening, a special gala for the Olympians was held at the Queen Elizabeth Stadium in Hong Kong. The venue was packed with no empty seats, and the atmosphere was vibrant. The Olympic athletes showcased their remarkable skills, while the audience eagerly took out their phones to capture the moments.

"Firstly, I hope that our country becomes even more prosperous and thriving. Secondly, I hope to see our national flag raised and our national anthem played at more international events and competitions," said swimmer Pan Zhanle, said swimmer Pan Zhanle, who set a new world record of 46.40 seconds as he stormed to victory in the men’s 100m freestyle final at the Paris Olympics.

On Saturday morning, two sports demonstration events were held separately at the Queen Elizabeth Stadium and Victoria Park Swimming Pool. At the start of the events, the Olympic athletes' delegation, guests, and audience sang the national anthem together. During the showcase, the Olympic athletes performed diving, swimming, table tennis, badminton, and gymnastics demonstrations.

Young people in Hong Kong said the visit by the star athletes has been an inspiration for them.

"It (visit by mainland Olympic delegation) allows us young people feel the spirit of unity, perseverance, and determination of athletes. It also shows our country’s strength as a sports powerhouse. Personally, I believe this visit to Hong Kong has definitely boosted the morale of the youth here," said Li Kai-lin, a member of the Hong Kong CPPCC Youth Association.

After concluding their three-day visit to Hong Kong on Saturday afternoon, the delegation traveled to Macao via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge to continue their tour. The Macao SAR government and representatives from various sectors held a welcome ceremony for the Olympic stars at the port of entry.

Chinese mainland Olympic stars wrap up inspiring visit to Hong Kong

Many Singaporeans support raising the re-employment age, partly to stay busy and active in retirement, and to help address demographic challenges in the workforce.

Like many other Asian countries, Singapore is grappling with a rapidly aging population. The government predicts that by 2030, one in four Singaporeans will be aged 65 or older, up from one in 10 two decades ago.

A survey on retirement and employment conducted last year in the country found broad support for raising the national retirement age, with about 88 percent of those aged 50 and above in favor.

Some supported increasing the retirement age because continuing to do what they love, rather than retiring, keeps them feeling youthful and fulfilled.

When Nancy Hor, a retired IT operations manager, left her job five years ago, she wasn't sure how to fill her time.

"I'm a workaholic. At the very first stage after I retired, I felt I could not find balance," she said.

Hor, now 70, said it took her some time to adjust. In her spare time, she stays busy line dancing and spending time with her family.

But she said that if she had had the choice, she would have liked to stay employed a little longer.

"I think it's good for the elderly that even they have some job to do, and keep them busy," said Hor.

In March, authorities announced plans to raise the retirement age to 64 and the re-employment age to 69 by 2026.

Singapore's Minister of State for Manpower, Gan Siow Huang, said the changes to the rules protect senior workers from dismissal due to age-related issues before they reach the statutory retirement age. Employers are also required to offer re-employment to eligible workers until they reach the statutory re-employment age limit.

This follows a similar move made two years ago to raise the retirement and re-employment ages to 63 and 68, respectively. The city-state is also aiming for a retirement age of 65 and a re-employment age of 70 by 2030.

"That is to reduce the impact on businesses, so it gives time for businesses to adapt their policy. This gradual increase in retirement age basically provides a framework for individuals like myself, who want to continue to be gainfully employed," said Patrick Chang, a retirement planning specialist and the author of the A to Z guide to retirement planning.

Chang said that businesses will need to make adjustments to accommodate the changes, including offering retraining for senior workers.

He noted that the changes won't impact those who still wish to retire earlier, but given Singapore's demographic challenges, the country cannot afford to remain idle.

"If we don't do it now, the social cost could be high. We cannot wait until the time when we need it today, and then we get something done. It will probably be a bit too late, and the cost of getting to that solution will be higher," said Chang.

Many Singaporeans support raising retirement, re-employment ages