LCQ21: Deepening patriotic education
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Question:
In the 2026 Policy Address (Policy Address), the Chief Executive proposes to deepen patriotic education for young people by making good use of the Mainland's resources to deliver multi-faceted and content-rich exchange and internship activities as well as designating annual themes, which will enable young people to witness first-hand the country's development and achievements, deepening their understanding of the nation's history and culture as well as its enduring bond and kinship with Hong Kong. There are concerns over the implementation details and long-term effectiveness of the relevant programmes. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the detailed plans and timetables for implementation of the proposal in the Policy Address to list the Yan'an Revolutionary Memorial Hall in Shaanxi Province as the second patriotic education base for the youth of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) in the Mainland and to designate annual themes, such as the country's aerospace achievements and the supply of Dongjiang water to Hong Kong for exchange and internship activities;
(2) of the specific criteria and strategy to enhance the quality of youth exchange and study tours to the Mainland and prevent the itineraries from becoming merely a formality; for example, whether it will introduce high-quality thematic project learning and immersive experiences into youth exchange tours and establish quantifiable indicators for performance assessment to ensure that the exchange activities can truly deepen young people's recognition of the nation's history, development and achievements; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(3) while national education and the Values Education Curriculum Framework have now been formally implemented in all primary and secondary schools across the territory, whether the Government will, together with the Working Group on Patriotic Education, make use of new media platforms, such as short videos and interactive games or partner with youth hostels and local clansmen associations to establish dedicated promotional networks for tertiary students who have graduated or left school, or for young people who are in employment or not in education, so as to prevent a gap in national education; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
Having consulted the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau and the Education Bureau (EDB), the reply in response to the questions raised by the Hon Lee Chun-keung is as follows:
(1) The 2026 Policy Address stipulates that the Government will deepen patriotic education for young people by making good use of the Mainland's resources to deliver multi faceted and content rich exchange and internship activities as well as designating annual themes, such as the country's aerospace achievements and the supply of Dongjiang water to Hong Kong. This will enable young people to witness first hand the country's development and achievements, deepening their understanding of the nation's history and culture as well as its enduring bond and kinship with Hong Kong, thereby strengthening young people's sense of national identity, national pride and cultural confidence.
This year marks the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March. Yan'an is a sacred place of the Chinese revolution and the cradle of New China. With the support of the Central Government, the HKSAR Government will list the Yan'an Revolutionary Memorial Hall in Shaanxi Province as the second patriotic education base for the youth of the HKSAR in the Mainland, and encourage students and young people to visit the place for study. The HKSAR Government is now liaising with the relevant Mainland authorities on the timing and other arrangements for the establishment of this base.
The EDB has been arranging for students to visit the Mainland for learning through the Mainland Exchange Programmes for Primary and Secondary School Students (MEPs) and the Senior Secondary Citizenship and Social Development (CS) Mainland Study Tours. The Yan'an Revolutionary Memorial Hall in Shaanxi has been incorporated into the routes of the MEPs and CS Mainland Study Tours, with a view to enabling students to learn, through visits, about the journey of the Red Army under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in the Long March, its establishment of a foothold in Yan'an, and the history of Yan'an once serving as the seat of the CPC Central Committee. In addition, other relevant visiting spots, such as Zhuhai Aerospace Land in Guangdong, the source of Dongjiang water at Sanbai Mountain in Jiangxi, and the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders, have also been incorporated into the routes of the MEPs and CS Mainland Study Tours. The EDB will continue to review and optimise the arrangements for Mainland exchange activities for students, maintain close communication and liaison with relevant Mainland units, and disseminate successful experiences for enhancing the effectiveness of the study tours.
At present, the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB) provides funding for non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to organise youth exchange projects in the Mainland through the HYAB Funding Scheme for Youth Exchange in the Mainland (FSYEM). The FSYEM aims to enhance young people's understanding of the country's culture, history, way of life and latest developments, and strengthening exchanges with their Mainland peers. Applications for the 2027-28 FSYEM will open in mid-November this year. The HYAB will actively encourage NGOs to arrange for youth participants to visit the patriotic education bases for Hong Kong and Macao youth in their exchange projects, and relevant applications will be given priority consideration. Furthermore, to deepen patriotic education for young people, the HYAB will designate annual themes for 2027-28, which include: (i) the 30th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the Motherland; (ii) the 100th anniversary of the founding of Chinese People's Liberation Army; (iii) the country's aerospace achievements; and (iv) supply of Dongjiang water to Hong Kong.
(2) The EDB has been collecting views from different stakeholders, taking various factors into consideration, and maintaining close exchanges with relevant Mainland authorities to adjust and optimise the arrangements for Mainland exchange activities for students in each school year. Like a "walking classroom", the exchange programmes enable students to gain first-hand understanding of national affairs and the latest development of our country. Apart from emphasising close connection with curriculum elements, the EDB has also enriched relevant visiting spots and learning objectives in response to the latest national developments and major historical events. For instance, inclusion of the Museum of the War of the Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression in Beijing and the Yan'an Revolutionary Memorial Hall in Shaanxi, both being patriotic education bases for Hong Kong and Macao youth, and designated itineraries for the theme of the 80th Anniversary of victory in the War of Resistance. The cross-province route in Jiangxi and Guangdong, on the theme of "Remembering the Source When Drinking Water", combines the history of the Long March and revolutionary deeds, allowing students to appreciate, through thematic project-based learning and immersive experience, the profound affection of our country towards Hong Kong. The EDB will continue to gauge the learning effectiveness of Mainland exchange activities for students through participant questionnaires, school visits, inspections, collection of student works (including photos, video clips and student reflections), and interviews with teachers and students, using quantifiable performance indicators. The EDB also regularly organises experience-sharing sessions to promote professional exchanges among teachers, and showcase the outcomes of students' experiential learning through diversified means, such as the CS Mainland Study Tour Project Learning Report Award Scheme.
The HYAB provides young people with Mainland exchange opportunities outside of those that complement the school curriculum, allowing them to choose exchange activities with different themes based on their interests and gain more in-depth experience of the latest developments in various aspects in the Mainland. Funded exchange projects under the FSYEM should feature specific themes, such as understanding the National 15th Five-Year Plan, the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the Belt and Road initiative, as well as national history, economy, science, culture, etc. In the past two years, the HYAB has also strongly encouraged funded NGOs to organise exchange projects centered on themes such as the 80th Anniversary of victory in the War of Resistance, the 60th Anniversary of Dongjiang Water Supply to Hong Kong, the 90th Anniversary of the victory of the Long March, and the 160th Anniversary of Dr Sun Yat-sen's birthday. Through thematic exchanges and immersive experiences, these projects enable young people to gain a deeper understanding of the country's historical development and achievements, thereby further enhancing their sense of national identity and patriotism. Upon completion of the exchange projects, participants are invited to fill in evaluation questionnaires, from which the HYAB can gauge their feedback and monitor project effectiveness and quality. Representatives of the HYAB and the Youth Development Commission also attend local activities (such as sharing sessions) organised by the funded NGOs to gather participants' views on the projects and monitor their effectiveness and quality.
(3) In 2024, the Government established the Working Group on Patriotic Education (the Working Group) under the Constitution and Basic Law Promotion Steering Committee chaired by the Chief Secretary for Administration. The Working Group is responsible for co-ordinating the work of government departments and NGOs in taking forward patriotic education in Hong Kong. Four sub-groups of the Working Group focus on school education, community engagement, cultural and historical promotion, and media publicity. The Working Group has been emphasising on conducting patriotic education through a soft and heart-moving, as well as innovative and diversified approach for comprehensive patriotic education in various aspects for all walks of life. The Working Group will continue its work under this approach, including to further adopt new media platforms, to take forward patriotic education in Hong Kong.
For recent graduates, working youth and out-of-school youth, the HYAB has been working closely with the Committee on the Promotion of Civic Education to promote civic and national education (including patriotic education) to general public outside schools and within the community through different channels and diverse means. These efforts include disseminating information via the Committee's website and social media pages; organising the Basic Law Quiz Competition and Basic Law Seminars, etc; and sponsoring eligible organisations (including various youth organisations and district clansmen associations) to host activities in promoting national and patriotic education under the Community Participation Scheme. Also, through the Youth Hostel Scheme, the HYAB and the operating organisations provide various activities on national education to the youth tenants, such as visits and guided tours to the Chinese People's Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison Exhibition Center, the National Security Exhibition Gallery and Xuelong 2; sharing sessions on the spirit of the "two sessions"; and exchange tours to the Mainland, in order to deepen their understanding of the country. In terms of the adaption of new media, to commemorate the 80th anniversary of victory in the War of Resistance, the Information Services Department (ISD), in collaboration with Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK), have produced a 5-episode mini-drama titled "Victory in War of Resistance" and have the series available on the official websites and social media platforms of the ISD and RTHK, to enhance public awareness of the War of Resistance on the Chinese Mainland and in Hong Kong, to allow citizens to remember history, honour martyrs, and cherish and safeguard peace.
Ends/Wednesday, October 14, 2026
Issued at HKT 15:31
Issued at HKT 15:31
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