Choi Yuk-lin links 918 lesson to national unity
Bastillepost · 2 SOURCESabout 7 hours ago4 MIN

Summary
Education Secretary Choi Yuk-lin (蔡若蓮) used a departure ceremony for a Beijing exchange tour to mark September 18 as a date that all Chinese people should remember. She said the September 18 Incident shows that weakness leaves a country vulnerable and that unity is the source of strength, adding that students should cherish the nation’s hard-won development and understand what the national flag represents.
Key Points
- Choi spoke at the launch ceremony for the “Salute to the National Flag” Beijing tour for Hong Kong and Macau youth flag-raising team representatives on September 18.
- In her speech, she said the September 18 Incident reminds people that a country falls behind at its peril and that unity gives strength.
- She said the national flag symbolizes the country and carries national memory, the course of struggle, and shared ideals for the Chinese nation.
- Choi described the flag as a vivid lesson in national education and said national rejuvenation requires generations to keep striving.
- The five-day tour includes more than 940 primary, secondary and tertiary students and flag-raising team representatives visiting Beijing landmarks and ceremonies.
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong readers, the remarks show how official youth exchange activities are being tied closely to national education and identity-building through school-based participation. The scale of the delegation and its itinerary suggest continued emphasis on giving students direct exposure to state symbols, institutions and ceremonial practices.