Tertiary institutions have key role to play in fostering national pride, Beijing’s top official on Hong Kong affairs says

“I hope that the leaders of Hong Kong’s tertiary institutions will take up the important responsibility of upholding the fundamentals of moral education, cultivating national sentiment and singing the theme of patriotism and love for Hong Kong.”

He added that the sector should support young students to bloom and contribute to nationwide education development.

Xia noted Hong Kong had unique advantages with its high-quality education, strong foundation in research, broad international networks and solid collaborations with mainland China.

He also urged society to support the chief executive and the administration to build Hong Kong into an international education hub.

Secretary Choi said the national security laws in Hong Kong and an improved electoral system had created a stable environment.

She added the city’s higher education sector would enjoy “a golden opportunity” for development in the next decade as China aimed to become a leading country in the sector by 2035.

Representatives from eight publicly funded universities, 13 self-financing institutions and The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts attended the meeting.