The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government today held a seminar on China’s 2024-2035 master plan to become a leading country in education, with Vice Minister of Education Wu Yan delivering a keynote speech to give representatives of various sectors a deeper understanding of the plan.

The seminar was attended by around 400 participants. Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki and Secretary for Education Choi Yuk-lin delivered the opening and closing addresses, respectively.

The master plan was issued following an important speech by President Xi Jinping at the National Conference on Education last September. It sets out a roadmap for national education development over the next 10 years.

Mr Wu presented a comprehensive elaboration and a systematic interpretation of the strength, the goal and the task of building a leading country in education. He pointed out that the National Conference on Education was an important conference on mobilising manpower for accelerating the development of a leading country in education in the new journey of the new era. President Xi Jinping’s important speech served as a framework document guiding the education work in the new journey of the new era, serving as an action plan and a scientific roadmap for building a leading country in education. The master plan is the first national action plan focused on building China into a leading country in education with the key mission to support the country's modernisation in all respects.  

He stressed that he hopes Hong Kong will leverage its unique advantages of enjoying strong national support while maintaining unparalleled connectivity with the world to further deepen educational exchanges with the Mainland, especially to deeply integrate into the development of the international innovation and technology hub in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the comprehensive national science centre, and the building of a high-calibre talent hub. Lastly, Mr Wu said that when Hong Kong succeeds, the country will benefit from it; when the country succeeds, Hong Kong will benefit from it even more. He called on all to work together to make important contributions in building a leading country in education.

The plan proposes a mechanism for co-ordinating and promoting the integration of education, technology and talent. It also outlines pathways for the development of an “innotech” hub in the Greater Bay Area, the establishment of a high-calibre talent hub, and systems for talent attraction and retention, in order to boost innovation.

Mr Chan highlighted that a resolution, adopted in the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), to deepen reforms advancing the nation’s modernisation proposed that Hong Kong be built into an international hub for high-calibre talent.

He elaborated that the Hong Kong SAR Government is committed to pursuing the development of talent from different backgrounds, fostering synergistic talent development, and supporting science and technology to draw talent to the city and contribute to high-quality development in Hong Kong and the country at large.

Mr Chan said that the Committee on Education, Technology & Talents – which he chairs and which was established at the end of last year – will strive to shape the development of systemic, holistic and synergistic policies that respond to the manpower needs of Hong Kong’s “eight centres” strategy. It will also promote the integration of education, technology and talent and the country’s invigoration through science and education, he added.

Stating that education in Hong Kong will thrive with its rapid development in the country overall in the coming 10 years, Ms Choi said the Education Bureau will deepen the city’s role as an international post-secondary education hub.

Besides boosting the comprehensive strengths of Hong Kong’s tertiary education sector and forging new competitive edges through digital education, the bureau will create multiple pathways for young generations, enhance students’ “whole-person” development, and raise teachers’ capacity to cultivate values and nurture people, she added.