Secretary for Home & Youth Affairs Alice Mak today continued her visit to countries along the Belt & Road region in Hanoi, Vietnam and promoted youth exchanges between Hong Kong and Vietnam.

Miss Mak visited the United Nations (UN) Development Programme and the UN Children's Fund in Vietnam in the morning to meet representatives of the UN agencies and volunteer interns participating in the UN Volunteers - Hong Kong Universities Volunteer Internship Programme.

She thanked the agencies for offering internship placements as well as providing guidance and training to Hong Kong youths, thereby enabling them to develop their personal capabilities and contribute to the international community in the capacity of Chinese youth volunteers.

The youth affairs chief encouraged the interns to seize the precious opportunities, gain experience through the volunteer internship programme, and to share their observations with other youths upon their return to Hong Kong.

In the afternoon, Miss Mak visited separately Secretary of Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union's Central Committee Nguyen Tuong Lam and Ambassador Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam He Wei to exchange views on the youth development work of the two places.

At a Christmas dinner organised by the Hong Kong Business Association Vietnam, Miss Mak shared with attendees the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government's vision and guiding principles of the long-term youth development work.

She also expressed hope to continue strengthening co-operation between Hong Kong and Vietnam and promoting youth exchanges between the two places.

Miss Mak will depart for Hong Kong tomorrow morning.