The Chinese national and Hong Kong regional flags fly as visitors take photos at the Golden Bauhinia Square in Wan Chai, Hong Kong on Jan 1, 2024. (SHAMIM ASHRAF / CHINA DAILY)

HONG KONG - Hong Kong inaugurated its first public exhibition center devoted to patriotic education on Monday in San Tin, showcasing over 200 valuable historical documents, photographs, and artifacts spanning a century of Hong Kong’s patriotic activities. 

The center seeks to foster a sense of national identity and promote the values aligned with the principle of “one country, two systems”. The exhibition also aims to deepen the understanding of patriotism among different segments of society.

The exhibition is a collaborative effort between the Hong Kong Top Talent Services Association and a museum.

Hong Kong Chief Secretary for Administration Eric Chan Kwok-ki said related activities will also incorporate the content of the Patriotic Education Law of the People’s Republic of China to achieve better results

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In a video address at the exhibition center’s opening ceremony, Hong Kong Chief Secretary for Administration Eric Chan Kwok-ki emphasized the Hong Kong SAR Government’s commitment to coordinating efforts between governmental bodies and non-governmental organizations in order to comprehensively promote national education in Hong Kong.

He added that related activities will also incorporate the content of the Patriotic Education Law of the People’s Republic of China to achieve better results.

Jesse Shang Hailong, a lawmaker and one of the curators of the exhibition, who also founded the Hong Kong Top Talent Services Association, said the exhibition is a proactive response to the Patriotic Education Law of the People’s Republic of China, which was passed on Oct 24 last year. The exhibition aims to fulfill the nation’s expectations and instructions outlined in the Hong Kong government’s latest Policy Address, with a vision to cultivate a new generation of patriotic Hong Kong youths.

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Also addressing the ceremony, Secretary for Culture, Sports, and Tourism Kevin Yeung Yun-hung said that the exhibition has offered a lot of inspiration for the government’s plan to establish a dedicated museum that highlights the country’s development and achievements.

In this year’s Policy Address, the Hong Kong government attached great importance to boosting national education. Besides proposing to establish a dedicated working group, it also proposed to set up a Chinese Culture Promotion Office and two museums showcasing the nation’s development and modern history.