Chief Executive of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam on Sunday promised to be more patient in reaching out to young people and heeding their voices.
The current HKSAR government attaches great importance to the cultivation of young people, she said when addressing a graduation ceremony of the Hong Kong college students' military training camp.
Around 200 students from more than 10 universities marched in formation, held flag-raising ceremony, chorused military songs, and performed Yuejiaquan, a style of Chinese martial arts, marking an ending of their 13 days of experience in a military camp.
"It is unforgettable in these days as I rode armored vehicles, watched fighting performance of special forces, participated in military exercises and watched art shows," a student surnamed Lui said.
The camp has been held with the help of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Garrison in the HKSAR for the ninth year with participation of nearly 1,500 college students in Hong Kong.
"There is no doubt that the camp offers Hong Kong students a unique opportunity to deepen their understanding of the motherland and its people and experience military life," Lam said, adding that she expected more students to participate in the camp in the future.
Lam said the HKSAR government has been promoting overseas exchange programs for students, including visiting countries and regions participating in the Belt and Road cooperation, to offer students opportunities to see other places of the world and have deeper understanding of the global development.
She called on students, at a time when Hong Kong is facing challenges, to work together to safeguard Hong Kong and build it into a better place.
