Alice Mak says flag event deepens youth identity
Bastillepost · 2 SOURCESabout 3 hours ago5 MIN
Summary
Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice Mak Mei-kuen (麥美娟) said the “Salute to the National Flag” themed programme gave young people a direct sense of the national flag’s historical significance and the dignity of the country. Writing on her social media page on Thursday, she linked the recent Beijing visit by Hong Kong and Macau youth flag-raising team representatives to youth development work under Hong Kong’s first five-year plan and the 2026 Policy Address.
Key Points
- Mak said Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang recently met the Beijing delegation of Hong Kong and Macau youth flag-raising team representatives and relayed President Xi Jinping’s concern and expectations.
- According to Mak, the message urged participants to understand the flag, protect it and bring honour to it, while helping Hong Kong youth build a proper national outlook.
- She said the programme combined solemn flag-raising ceremonies, historical and cultural visits, and on-site exposure to national development achievements to deepen emotional identification.
- Mak described the Beijing trip as a vivid practice in passing on the cause of “one country, two systems”, using an approach of entering the scene, stirring emotion and building identity.
- She said the government would continue youth national education work, including converting the Tsing Yi community isolation facility into a youth development and national education base.
Why It Matters
Mak’s remarks tie patriotic youth programmes more closely to the Hong Kong government’s newly announced 2026-2030 five-year plan and the 2026 Policy Address, indicating that mainland exchange and national education activities will remain a policy priority. For Hong Kong readers, that points to continued official support, funding and institutional backing for youth exchanges, flag-raising training and related civic identity programmes.