Hong Kong's higher education has unique advantages, including high teaching quality, strong basic research capabilities, extensive international connections, and solid cooperation with the Chinese mainland, representing a strong foundation and huge influence, the top Beijing official on Hong Kong said on Friday.

Pointing out that Hong Kong’s education is an important part of national education, Xia Baolong said universities must keep in mind the importance of cultivating more talent, producing more scientific research outcomes, and making more contributions to national development.

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The director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council said this on Friday when a Hong Kong delegation led by Secretary for Education Choi Yuk-lin met him at his office to report on the latest developments of the city’s higher education sector.

Xia said the central government will fully ensure that the “one country, two systems” principle remains unchanged, and wholeheartedly support Hong Kong in achieving a leap forward at the new stage

Xia expressed his hope that Hong Kong’s leaders of higher education institutions will shoulder their responsibilities of adhering to the fundamentals of cultivating values and nurturing talent, reinforcing the cultivation and attraction of talent, persisting in giving full play to their unique advantages, and contributing to the city’s wisdom and strengths in the construction of a leading country in education.

The central government will fully, faithfully, and unswervingly ensure that the “one country, two systems” principle remains unchanged, and wholeheartedly support Hong Kong in achieving a leap forward at the new stage, he said.

He stressed that all must be united and proactively support the chief executive and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government in governing the city in accordance with the law, fully leveraging its advantages under “one country, two systems” and as an international city, working together to build an international education hub, and contributing further to Hong Kong in its transition from stability to prosperity and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

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For her part, the SAR’s education chief said the active participation of the leaders of the 22 Hong Kong higher education institutions in the study group has not only made history for Hong Kong’s higher education sector but also demonstrated the sector’s unity, carrying great significance.

She pointed out that with the implementation of the National Security Law, an improved electoral system, and the Basic Law Article 23 legislation, a stable environment for development has been created.

Coupled with the goal of building a leading country in education by 2035, Hong Kong’s higher education will enjoy a golden opportunity for development in the next decade, she added.

The HKSAR government will give full support to institutions for continuous innovation and optimization to turn the city into an international hub for post-secondary education, she said.

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The SAR delegation called on the Ministry of Science and Technology to gain a deep understanding of the latest trends of national science and technology development, the overall national development, and the goal of building a nation strong in science and technology.

It also toured a mainland technology enterprise to learn about the development trend of digital economy on the mainland and explore opportunities for collaboration.