​The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, chaired the 23rd meeting of the Youth Development Commission (YDC) today (November 4).
          
     At the meeting, the Education Bureau introduced the "Salute to the National Flag" Hong Kong and Macao Youth Flag-Raising Teams' Beijing Visit Delegation. The Delegation was a high-level key youth exchange programme held in Beijing from September 18 to 22. During the visit, the Delegation was received at the Great Hall of the People by Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council, Mr Ding Xuexiang, who conveyed President Xi Jinping's and the Central Government's cordial remarks and exhortations for the young people of Hong Kong and Macao. Delegation members also witnessed the solemn flag-raising ceremony at Tiananmen Square and engaged in exchanges and interaction with the People's Liberation Army Ceremonial Escort Battalion. The visit aimed to enable students to experience the historical culture of the capital and the country's development achievements, and to deepen their sense of national identity and patriotism.

     Furthermore, members were briefed by government representatives on the new policy initiatives related to youth development in the First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (2026-2030) (Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan) and the Chief Executive's 2026 Policy Address (Policy Address). Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan emphasises enhancing youth development opportunities and supporting young people in pursuing their dreams. The Government will step up the focus on young people's education, employment, entrepreneurship, and home ownership, and nurture talent who can serve the needs of the country and leverage the strengths of Hong Kong. Through a wide array of activities, the Government inspires young people to unleash their potential, passes on the spirit of loving the country and Hong Kong, and promotes international youth exchanges and collaboration.
      
     The Policy Address has introduced a series of measures to promote youth development, covering policy areas under various policy bureaux. The measures include, among others, deepening youth patriotic education; establishing an International Youth Talent Exchange Base; strengthening co-operation with international organisations to open up more opportunities for young people to go global; expanding youth internship and training activities in key areas such as finance, aerospace technology, high-end scientific research and AI; and enhancing the HYAB Youth Start-up Internship Programme. The Government aims to help young people broaden their international perspectives, accumulate practical experience in emerging fields, and better integrate into and serve the overall national development.
      
     Mr Chan said, "The Delegation has yielded fruitful learning outcomes. To further consolidate and deepen the educational effectiveness of the activity, the Government will actively roll out a series of follow-up activities under the strategies of peer inheritance and territory-wide participation, transforming students' profound reflections into learning and teaching resources for sustainable promotion, allowing the spirit of the national flag to take root in schools, and inspiring more young people to understand, respect and safeguard the national flag. In addition, the Government has put forward a series of new measures on youth development, with the aim of keeping pace with the times and responding to the evolving needs of young people. The Government will continue to work hand in hand with the YDC and rally the strength of all sectors of society to implement the youth development measures in Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan, the Policy Address and the Youth Development Blueprint so as to support young people to pursue their dreams, unleash their full potential, and create a brighter, broader future together."

Ends/Wednesday, November 4, 2026
Issued at HKT 17:40

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