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Hong Kong holds lantern fairs, drone show to celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival

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      China

      China

      Hong Kong holds lantern fairs, drone show to celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival

      2024-09-18 13:33 Last Updated At:14:07

      China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Tuesday held lantern fairs to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival, while a spectacular drone show illuminated the night sky above the Victoria Harbor.

      The festival is celebrated annually on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese lunar calendar, which fell on Sept 17 this year. It is a traditionally cherished occasion for family reunions, when family members share mooncakes and light lanterns.

      A bright and gorgeous lantern fair combining elements of traditional Chinese culture and the unique style of Hong Kong was held on Tuesday night in Hong Kong's Victoria Park, where local residents and tourists can not only learn about the process of making a handcrafted lantern, but also participate in diversified activities like guessing lantern riddles.

      During the festival, traditional folk activities including lantern fairs were held across Hong Kong, creating strong festive atmosphere and attracting flocks of residents and tourists.

      "We have come to Victoria Park today to feel the atmosphere of the Mid-Autumn Festival. [The lanterns] are quite beautiful and gorgeous," said Liu, a local resident.

      At around 20:00 on Tuesday, a splendid drone show illuminated the night sky above the Victoria Harbor, with more than 1,000 drones forming patterns of rabbits, lanterns and mooncakes, conveying festive blessings to people in Hong Kong.

      "This year's lanterns are more beautiful than ever before. Meanwhile, the drone shows are getting more and more exciting each time, as we can see that the patterns and technologies are constantly improving. At the same time, the National Day is approaching. I would like to wish our country a happy birthday, and I wish the motherland prosperity and the people a better life," said Ko Chung Kit, another local resident.

      Hong Kong holds lantern fairs, drone show to celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival

      Hong Kong holds lantern fairs, drone show to celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival

      China on Sunday released a plan on building itself into a strong power in education (2024–2035), outlining the strategic goals and the roadmap to build a world-class education system in the country by 2035.

      Since the launch of reform and opening up, the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council have unveiled a set of guidelines to promote education, which has served as strategic guidance for educational development in different eras.

      The newly published document defines the objectives and strategies for building China into a strong power in education. It aims to meet the growing demand of the public for higher-quality, fairer, and more diverse education, and tackle the long-standing challenges head on.

      "The plan aims to narrow disparities across regions, between urban and rural areas, and among schools. Previously, we emphasized achieving quality and balanced education within counties, but now, the focus has shifted to achieving quality and balanced education within cities. For preschool education, the plan highlights the importance of addressing the needs of children aged two to three by increasing the availability of seats and care facilities in areas with the necessary resources. At the high school level, it emphasizes not only expanding resources, but also fostering specialized schools, such as science-focused high schools. In higher education, the plan calls for a gradual and orderly expansion of undergraduate enrollment in quality programs, as well as scaling up postgraduate education. This provides more opportunities for people to access quality education," said Li Yongzhi, president of China National Academy of Educational Sciences.

      Education is both the foundation of public well-being and a pillar of national strength. In order to advance the Chinese modernization, the plan puts forward systematic measures to address mismatches in education supply and demand, as well as the shortage of strategically skilled professionals.

      "Providing an excellent environment for top-tier innovative talents at an early stage is crucial. In higher education, the plan emphasizes promoting classified development, designing academic disciplines and talent cultivation programs, and reforming academic evaluation methods based on national strategies and market needs. These measures will lay a solid policy foundation for higher education to better align with national strategies and meet public demand for professional training," said Li.

      The plan also sets a clear timeline and roadmap for achieving its goals. By 2027, China should have achieved significant progress in building it into a leading country in education. By 2035, the country should have fully realized the vision, with key targets achieved, including establishing the institutional system and working mechanism of the Party's overall leadership over the cause of education, building a high-quality education system, ensuring that the quality and accessibility of basic education rank among the best globally, building a learning-oriented society, significantly boosting public satisfaction with education, enhancing education's role in serving national strategies and realizing the education modernization on the whole.

      Yu Fayou, vice president of China National Academy of Educational Sciences, shared his insights on the plan.

      "First, the development of the education sector itself must be strong, with overall quality level of education being strong. Second, the system supporting education development must be strong. Third, education must make a strong contribution to the socioeconomic development as well as the national rejuvenation. For instance, the professionals we cultivate must play a significant role in driving economic and social progress. Fourth, education should have a strong international impact. Finally, public satisfaction and sense of fulfillment in education must be strong. Ultimately, building China into a strong power in education means building an education system that meets the people are satisfied with," Yu said.

      China unveils blueprint on building itself into a leading country in education by 2035

      China unveils blueprint on building itself into a leading country in education by 2035

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