Speech by DCS at 2024 Boao Forum For Asia Youth Summit (Hong Kong)
Following is the speech by the Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing, at the2024 Boao Forum For Asia Youth Summit (Hong Kong) today (November 19):
The Honourable Director Zheng Yanxiong (Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region),Secretary General Zhang Jun (Secretary General Boao Forum for Asia),Commissioner Cui Jianchun (Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region),Dame Jenny Shipley (Former Prime Minister of New Zealand), Professor Doctor Surakiart Sathirathai (Former Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand), Madame Emmanuelle Pérès (Former French Vice-Minister of Youth),Chairman Lam (Chairman of the Y. Elites Association, Mr Lawrence Lam), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Good afternoon. It is my great pleasure to be here with you at the 2024 Boao Forum for Asia Youth Summit in Hong Kong.
First of all, let us applaud the collective efforts of the Boao Forum for Asia and the Y. Elites Association for reconvening this prestigious and meaningful forum. The reconvened forum means far more than a mere reunion - it symbolises the rekindling of dreams, the reconnection of minds, and the renewal of vital partnerships across Asia.
Today's forum brings together top government officials, prominent business innovators, renowned academics, representatives from international organisations and youth advocates from Hong Kong, the Mainland and around the world. Your presence here reaffirms our shared commitment to promoting youth development as a cornerstone of future prosperity.
In March this year, some of our Hong Kong youth volunteered at the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference in Hainan, where they had the precious opportunity to observe and be part of the significant, high-level event. This eye-opening experience has surely broadened their horizons and given them invaluable insights into the latest developments of our country and the world. The enthusiasm and professionalism they exhibited are commendable. They are the epitome of youthful energy, creativity, adaptability and confidence, which precisely are the qualities in youth that we value and celebrate here today.
The theme of this year's Summit, "Pioneering Tomorrow: Roles and Contributions of Youth", encapsulates the potential and opportunities that our young generation holds. To provide a solid policy framework for youth development, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government released the Youth Development Blueprint for Hong Kong in late 2022. The Blueprint is an important document that outlines our vision and principles in promoting youth development, as well as charting a clear pathway for all stakeholders in society. Our vision is to nurture a new generation of youth equipped with a global perspective, a positive thinking mindset, and an affection for our city and our country.
The Blueprint put forward over 160 measures to provide young people with holistic and all-round support, helping them to overcome hurdles in four areas: education, employment, entrepreneurship and home ownership. Last year, the relevant bureaux have added another 60 new measures, so that the Blueprint can keep abreast with the times and respond to the needs of young people in a timely manner.
In this year's Policy Address released last month, the Chief Executive underlined the importance of building Hong Kong into an international hub for high-calibre talent. To this end, the 2024 Policy Address unveiled a whole host of initiatives, including the establishment of a Committee on Education, Technology and Talents chaired by the Chief Secretary for Administration; enhancing various talent admission mechanisms; promoting STEAM education; strengthening support for learning and teaching; and creating new youth development facilities. These initiatives demonstrate fully our unwavering commitment to nurturing future leaders for the city and the country. Coupled with Hong Kong's unique and strategic position as the gateway between the Mainland and the world, as well as the immense potential brought by the national strategies, such as the Belt and Road Initiative and the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area - the combined GDP of which, if seen as a single economic entity, ranked among the top 10 globally in 2023, our youth have before them an enormously bright future.
Speakers before me have spoken on what the youth could do and should do. Director Zheng Yanxiong has mentioned the vital role played by youth in the country's advancement in technology and space exploration. Dame Shipley has spoken on the role of youth in the protection of the climate and the planet. For the youth in this room, I would call upon you to think big, act bold, pursue your dreams and contribute to making this planet a better place for humankind.
Going forward, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government will continue to work hand in hand with all sectors of society to create a conducive environment in which our young people can grow healthily and prosper merrily. I am confident that today's forum is going to be an effective platform for fruitful and productive exchange of ideas and experiences, all for the benefit of our young people.
Lastly, I wish the forum great success and all guests and visitors a rewarding and memorable afternoon. Thank you.
Speech by DCS at 2024 Boao Forum For Asia Youth Summit (Hong Kong) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
