Integrating into the overall development of the country, Hong Kong has great potential for young people
[Xiangjiang Quick Review]
Author: Feng Qingxiang
Hong Kong youth are witnesses, participants, and beneficiaries of the "One Country, Two Systems" cause. In recent years, with the increasing policy support from the central government and the acceleration of the construction process of the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area, various policy measures have been introduced to facilitate Hong Kong youth's education, employment, and entrepreneurship in mainland China, greatly mobilizing the enthusiasm and initiative of this group to participate in national development and construction. In the process of integrating into the overall development of the country, Hong Kong youth have great potential.
Multiple ways to complete education and enhance national identity
According to data released by the China Education and Exchange Center for Scholarly Exchange, in 2022, over 13000 Hong Kong high school students applied to universities in mainland China, and the number of students participating in the "Diploma Admission Program" reached a new high. The increasing willingness of Hong Kong students to travel cross-border to the mainland for further education is due to both the internal needs of individual comprehensive development and the high-quality educational opportunities and conditions provided by the country.
The central government and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government attach great importance to safeguarding the right of Hong Kong students to education. Guangdong, Beijing, and Shanghai have become the preferred destinations for Hong Kong students to pursue higher education due to their geographical location and educational resources advantages. At the same time, the SAR government provides generous subsidies to Hong Kong students to reduce their learning and living costs.
Mainland universities have flexible ways of managing Hong Kong students and adopt diverse educational methods, making it easy for them to adapt to the local learning environment. Based on the specific characteristics of their respective universities, the size of students from Hong Kong and Macao, and the strength of their teaching staff, most mainland universities place Hong Kong students in the same class as mainland students, and provide them with rich national education and distinctive professional skills courses. Many Hong Kong students actively participate in various student organizations and interest groups, actively building a "circle of friends" in mainland China, obtaining academic, social, internship and other information and assistance services.
Through on-site learning and communication, Hong Kong students are full of confidence in the development prospects of the mainland. As patriotic education takes root in the hearts of Hong Kong students, they develop a strong interest and beautiful vision for the rapid development of their motherland, and their sense of national identity continues to strengthen. They are determined to strive for the great cause of national rejuvenation.
Multi channel employment and entrepreneurship to achieve social value
The Hong Kong Youth Association Youth Connect previously released a survey result showing that over 70% of Hong Kong youth respondents are willing to work and start businesses in mainland cities in the Greater Bay Area. The national "14th Five Year Plan", the construction of the Central Eight Measures for Benefiting Hong Kong Youth, and the Greater Bay Area Youth Entrepreneurship Incubation Base have created diversified platforms for the growth and development of Hong Kong youth, with a series of supporting measures. Many young people in Hong Kong seize these major opportunities and leverage their professional advantages to find matching employment opportunities or entrepreneurial projects in the mainland.
From the perspective of types of employment and entrepreneurship, Hong Kong youth have chosen a variety of occupations according to their interests, which are distributed in science and technology, the Internet, education, cultural and creative industries, and directly serve the local economic and social development. At the same time, the channels and carriers for Hong Kong youth to develop in the mainland are becoming increasingly broad. For example, Guangdong Province has taken the lead in opening up some civil servant positions to Hong Kong and Macao residents, and supporting Hong Kong and Macao youth to obtain teaching qualifications for primary and secondary schools in mainland China, encouraging the nine cities in the Pearl River Delta to hire Hong Kong and Macao teachers who have obtained teaching qualifications in mainland China. Many young people in Hong Kong have responded enthusiastically and acted quickly, joining the civil service ranks or fulfilling their dream of becoming teachers in mainland cities in the Greater Bay Area.
From the perspective of employment and entrepreneurship regions, Hong Kong youth revolve around mainland cities in the Greater Bay Area and flow to cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Wuhan. Guangdong, Beijing, and Shanghai have a developed economy, a complete range of industries, sound talent policies, and an active cultural atmosphere, which makes the integration cost of Hong Kong youth in language application, dietary habits, local customs, and other aspects lower. At the same time, Hong Kong's transportation network and customs clearance procedures connecting mainland cities are becoming increasingly convenient, meeting the cross-border mobility needs of most Hong Kong youth.
From the perspective of employment and entrepreneurship philosophy, contemporary Hong Kong youth are full of innovative consciousness and adventurous spirit, showcasing the international urban youth style. Faced with the continuously expanding market hinterland of the mainland, their work passion is more focused on the tertiary industry such as science and technology innovation, literature and art, trendy entertainment, and design. The current cooperation model between mainland China and Hong Kong and Macao is shifting from vertical collaboration to horizontal integration, upgrading from "front store and back factory" to "parallel shipping to sea". The younger generation in Hong Kong is adapting to the current situation and constantly adjusting the way their personal future interacts with the destiny of the country.
Engage in public welfare in multiple ways to promote mutual understanding
Participating in charity and public welfare is a part of Hong Kong's youth life. In recent years, driven by strong support from the government and communication and exchange between charitable forces in the two regions, many Hong Kong youth have broken geographical boundaries and transmitted the spirit of helping the needy and modern public welfare concepts through personal practice to the mainland, helping the progress of the country's livelihood.
The participation of Hong Kong youth in public welfare activities in mainland China is extensive and has a profound impact. From mobile donations on the streets to regular education, elderly care, environmental protection, and medical assistance, from street communities to micro life scenes of the general public, young social workers in Hong Kong demonstrate a strong sense of social responsibility. They are continuously providing funds, resources, and talents for the development of public welfare in the mainland through social practice of providing material assistance and volunteer services for the elderly and weak.
Hong Kong youth actively contribute to the social public and welfare undertakings in the Greater Bay Area. Guangdong and Hong Kong share the same roots and origin, with similar connections in terms of people, resources, and industry. They are at the forefront of exploring social service cooperation in the country. At present, multiple family comprehensive service centers in Guangdong are dispatched by senior expert teams and young social workers from Hong Kong to provide targeted tracking services and on-site guidance, gradually forming a positive collaborative mechanism. They have accumulated rich experience in cross-border purchasing of social work services and learning from grassroots good governance concepts.
Hong Kong youth also responded to the national call and actively participated in the cause of rural revitalization. The central government supports eligible Hong Kong and Macao youth to register for the "Three Supports and One Assistance" program, creating learning and exercise opportunities for Hong Kong youth. Many of them actively travel to impoverished villages on the southwest or northwest border, integrate into local life, and root themselves in the front line of rural revitalization. Through supporting agriculture, education, and medicine, Hong Kong youth have strengthened their emotional connection with the people of mainland China, contributing wisdom and sweat to the well-being of the country's people. At the same time, they have deepened their understanding of national conditions and central policies, and stimulated patriotism.
Currently, Hong Kong is deeply integrating into the overall development of the country, and more and more Hong Kong youth are participating in national construction in various ways, contributing their own strength to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. We have reason to believe that the young generation of Hong Kong, who possess patriotism, international vision, professional competence, and innovative thinking, will continue to play a unique advantage and play an important role in the historical process of the country's development towards strength.
Guangming Daily
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