The Civil Service College today held the 10th talk of the series on the country’s foreign affairs jointly with the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

The talk was delivered via video-conferencing by Deputy Director-General of the ministry’s Department of Consular Affairs Zhang Yang with safeguarding China’s rights and interests overseas as its topic.

About 200 civil servants in the directorate and senior ranks took part online. Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung addressed the talk.

Mrs Yeung said the motherland has always been the source of Hong Kong’s strong support in the face of a complex and ever-changing international environment and emerging global challenges.

No matter what conditions, difficulties and dangers Chinese citizens and enterprises encounter overseas, the country will lend a helping hand promptly and provide us with comprehensive and thoughtful consular services, she said.

She pointed out that, as an international city backed by the motherland and connected to the world, Hong Kong has close ties with different parts of the world in various fields.

She highlighted the need for civil servants to acquire a deeper understanding of the efforts made by Chinese consuls in protecting the country’s rights and interests overseas, and further enhance their understanding of consular work.

This will enable them to act in better concert with the country's foreign affairs policy in handling the relevant areas of work, she added.