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The Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Tsang Tak-sing, began his three-day visit to Shanghai yesterday (July 28). He watched the Hong Kong representatives take part in the table tennis event in the afternoon and attended the opening ceremony of the 12th National Student Sports Games in Shanghai Oriental Sports Center last night. He cheered for the Hong Kong schools athletes and wished them every success in the event.
Mr Tsang today (July 29) watched the Hong Kong representatives as they took part in the swimming and wushu events, and had lunch with the student athletes. During the meeting, Mr Tsang encouraged the young people to seize the opportunity of taking part in the games, in which Hong Kong athletes and their national peers can learn from one another. He said that young people, besides striving to raise their sporting standards, should broaden their horizons and gain experience through interaction with people of different cultures. Mr Tsang also visited the male dormitory of the athletics representatives.
Hong Kong first took part in the games in 1999, and this year's event will mark the sixth time that Hong Kong has participated. The Hong Kong delegation this year includes 44 athletes who are participating in athletics, swimming, table tennis and wushu. The selection trials were organised by the Hong Kong Schools Sports Federation, and the Chairman of the Federation, Ms Stella Lau, is the leader of the delegation.
While in Shanghai, Mr Tsang also met with four young people from Hong Kong joining an internship programme there and visited their workplace this evening. He also met with representatives of the Shanghai Youth Federation.
The four young people are participating in an internship programme under the Home Affairs Bureau's Funding Scheme for Youth Internship in the Mainland launched this year. The Scheme has funded 38 internship projects in the Mainland and benefited about 1,700 young people in Hong Kong.
Mr Tsang will visit the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture, Radio, Film and TV tomorrow morning (July 30) to exchange views on experience in promoting cultural development and to explore co-operation opportunities. He will return to Hong Kong tomorrow afternoon.
Ends/Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Issued at HKT 17:50
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