Moves to attract more foreign students to Hong Kong will ultimately benefit local scholars.
Discussing his 2016 Policy Address on a radio talk show this morning, Chief Executive CY Leung responded to concerns about his plan to setup a $1 billion fund to aid foreign talent wanting to study in Hong Kong, by saying the move will also help local students.
"We are the most international city in the country. There has been growing interest in university education in Hong Kong among foreign students. A couple of universities have been particularly successful in recruiting top foreign students to study in Hong Kong.
"We believe the reason why more and more foreign students want to study in Hong Kong is that they want to study in China, and we are the only city in the whole of China that offers courses in English. So we do have a language convenience. Very often, as my experience tells - I studied for three years in the UK - the best way to build friendship with a new generation of people from other countries is to offer them education.
"It is useful to have students from outside Hong Kong in the midst of our young people to learn together."
He said the number of foreign students who can study at government-funded universities will be capped at 20%.
"In all cases the number of foreign students has not reached this cap. In many cases they are well below this cap. The number of Belt & Road students under the Belt & Road scholarship will grow to a maximum of 100, out of a total of 15,000 first-year first-degree course students. It is a small number.
"The $1 billion is in a fund and we use the income on the $1 billion to sponsor these scholarships and the maximum number is 100."
On the Belt & Road initiative, Mr Leung said more communication and explanation is necessary as there is still a lack of understanding of its contents and the objectives.
"It is a big initiative of the country and there will be plenty of opportunities for Hong Kong - all sectors. It is not just a question of supporting the initiative because it is national initiative - it offers good opportunities for Hong Kong, particularly the new generation.
"It is about 60-something foreign countries and therefor opportunities in these countries. Hong Kong is a very externally oriented economy. We need to find new markets, new sources of supply, and so on, on an ongoing basis."
On his plan to develop Lantau Island, Mr Leung assured that the island's residents will be consulted on its future.
"To develop Lantau, as we develop other parts of Hong Kong, we need to follow a statutory plan-making process, and that involves a very extensive consultation process. It will involve the Town Planning Board. It will be a very extensive public consultation process and we will definitely welcome views from different parts of the community, including residents of Lantau."
He said the Lantau Development Advisory Committee membership is very representative and includes District Council members elected by Lantau residents.
