The GBA Youth Forum 2023 (‘the Forum’), organised by the Greater Bay Area Homeland Youth Community Foundation was held yesterday at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The Forum attracted the participation of more than 700 young people both offline and online. The Forum was delighted to be included as one of the programmes in the ‘Youthfest@HK’ organised by the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The theme of this year’s forum is ‘Diversity and Integration: Pathway to a Brighter Tomorrow’, and three youth-related topics were discussed, namely ‘Entrepreneurship Across Disciplines’, ‘Innovation Across Generations’, and ‘Culture and Sports Across Borders’. Professionals and young leaders were invited to share about relevant current developments and trends, inspiring young people with different interests and aspirations to explore career paths in entrepreneurship, innovation and technology, culture and sports. 

The Forum was officiated by Ms Alice MAK, SBS, JP, Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Professor SONG Lai, First-class Inspector, Deputy Director General, Youth Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR; Mr Daryl NG, SBS, JP, Chairman of the Greater Bay Area Homeland Youth Community Foundation (Deputy Chairman of Sino Group); Dr HU Zhanghong, JP, CEO of Greater Bay Area Homeland Investments Limited and Director of the Financial Services Development Council; and Ms Salome SEE, Group Managing Director of Hong Kong Economic Times Holdings and Managing Director of ET Net; Mr Kenneth FOK, Executive Vice Chairman of Greater Bay Area Homeland Youth Community Foundation (Member of the Legislative Council, Vice President of the Fok Ying Tung Group).

The following are the guest speakers: (In no particular order)

1. Mr Sean LEE, Director and Chief Executive Officer of China Mobile Hong Kong Company Limited
2. Mr Albert WONG, Chief Executive Officer of Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks Corporation
3. Mr Derek CHIM, Head of Incubation and Acceleration Programmes of Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks Corporation
4. Mr Eric Gnock FAH, Chief Operating Officer and Co-founder of Klook
5. Mr Reeve KWAN, Co-founder of GoGoX
6. Mr Gordon TAM, Founder and CEO of Farm66
7. Mr Duncan CHIU, Hong Kong Legislative Council Member (Functional Constituency - Technology and Innovation), President of Hong Kong Information Technology Joint Council
8. Dr Wendy LEE, General Manager of Chevalier (Network Solutions) Limited
9. Professor Tony MOK, BBS, Chairman of Department of Clinical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine at The Chinese University of Hong Kong
10. Mr Steven PUN, Co-founder and CEO of PROTECH Group and, a Ten Outstanding Young Person 2022
11. Professor Fredric MAO, BBS, Director Laureate of Hong Kong Repertory Theatre
12. Mr WONG Cho Lam, Director of Tailor Made Production Limited
13. Mr Stephen LAM, Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Ponte Orchestra and Singers
14. Mr Shawn CHEUNG, Hong Kong Fencer

Ms Alice MAK, SBS, JP, Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, said in her speech at the Forum, ‘The current-term Government has been sparing no effort in promoting youth development, and announced the Youth Development Blueprint in December last year that outlines in a holistic manner the Government's vision and direction for youth development work in the long term. In particular, the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau has launched the Funding Scheme for Youth Entrepreneurship Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Funding Scheme for Experiential Programmes at Innovation and Entrepreneurial Bases in the GBA in an effort to provide more targeted support to young people who intend to establish their business in Hong Kong and other cities in the Greater Bay Area. In fact, many of these young entrepreneurs have already settled in different Mainland cities in the Greater Bay Area to capture the business opportunities brought by the development of the Greater Bay Area. In addition, as part of the key initiatives in the Youth Development Blueprint, the annual youthfest@HK was launched in 2023. Apart from today’s event, the youthfest@HK brings together around 200 activities of different nature to cater for the various interests and needs of young people.’

Mr Daryl NG, Chairman of the Greater Bay Area Homeland Youth Community Foundation, said in his welcome speech, ‘In April, during his inspection trip to Guangdong, President Xi Jinping stressed that “the GBA must become the strategic pivot of the new development paradigm, an exemplary site for high-quality development and the trailblazer of Chinese-style modernisation.” Additionally, the “Development Plan for Shenzhen Park of Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone” recently announced by the Central Government states that the collaboration of Hong Kong and Shenzhen has encouraged more innovative technology companies to set up bases in the “Shenzhen-Hong Kong I&T Co-operation Zone”, working together to build an international innovative talent port in the GBA. This plan fully reflects the country’s trust and support for Hong Kong. The distinctive advantage of Hong Kong lies in “enjoying strong support of the Motherland and being closely connected to the world”, and youth is an important force for the future development of Hong Kong and the country. The Foundation is fully committed to creating more opportunities that support young people in pursuing diverse development, helping them to seize opportunities to unleash their full potential and developing a pathway to a brighter future.’

The development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is a key strategy in China’s reform and opening-up in the new era. The 14th Five-Year Plan supports Hong Kong’s development in eight key areas (‘eight centres’), including its role as an international financial centre, an international innovation and technology centre, and an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange. This Forum focuses on three themes including ‘Entrepreneurship’, ‘Innovation and Technology’, and ‘Culture and Sports’. Youth leaders and professionals were invited to share the following topics with the young people.

Topic 1: ‘Entrepreneurship Across Disciplines’ – Exploring Entrepreneurial Opportunities Beyond Boundaries

Starting a business requires passion, perseverance and an innovative entrepreneurial spirit. The rapid development of the Greater Bay Area has created numerous advantages for entrepreneurs. Young people looking to set up a new business should broaden their horizons, establish clear goals and transform their creative ideas into a business plan.

The Greater Bay Area provides opportunities such as entrepreneurial bases, competitions and incubation platforms that help young people embark on their entrepreneurship journey with ideas that benefit society and prepare them for the new economy of the future.

Topic 2: ‘Innovation Across Generations’ – Connecting All Parties Towards the Tech-driven Future

The development of innovative technology requires diversified thinking, experience and expertise across different generations. Through intergenerational collaboration and communication, knowledge can be transferred to help the younger generation acquire technical expertise and become innovative thinkers.

The Greater Bay Area with its strategic location, huge market potential, abundant resources and favourable policies can help Hong Kong leverage its advantages in scientific research and internationalisation. With the support of the Greater Bay Area, Hong Kong can transform itself into an international hub for innovation and technology and contribute more to the nation’s technological development, academic development, research and talent cultivation.

Topic Three: ‘Culture and Sport Across Borders’ – Breaking Through Regional Boundaries to Unleash the Power of Culture and Sports

Culture and sports have the unique ability to transcend regional, language, and cultural barriers and connect people. Within the Greater Bay Area, Hong Kong is regarded as a prominent hub of Asian culture where East meets West, drawing a vast pool of artists and cultural talent from all over the world. Hong Kong's young athletes have also demonstrated remarkable performance in international sports. Young people should therefore continue utilising the soft power of culture, arts and sports to tell compelling stories of mainland China and Hong Kong in the global arena.

 

Photos from the GBA Youth Development Forum 2023

Photo 1) Ms Alice MAK, SBS, JP, Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, delivers a speech at the Forum.

 

Photo 2) Mr Daryl NG, SBS, JP, Chairman of the Greater Bay Area Homeland Youth Community Foundation, gives a welcome speech at the Forum.

 

Photo 3) Group photo of guests of honour and co-organiser representatives.

(From left to right)

Mr Kenneth FOK, JP, Executive Vice Chairman of Greater Bay Area Homeland Youth Community Foundation, Member of the Legislative Council and Vice President of the Fok Ying Tung Group, Dr HU Zhanghong, JP, CEO of Greater Bay Area Homeland Investments Limited and Director of the Financial Services Development Council, Professor SONG Lai, First-class Inspector, Deputy Director General, Youth Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR, Ms Alice MAK, SBS, JP, Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mr Daryl NG, SBS, JP, Chairman of the Greater Bay Area Homeland Youth Community Foundation (Deputy Chairman of Sino Group), Ms Salome SEE, Group Managing Director of Hong Kong Economic Times Holdings and Managing Director of ET Net

Photo 4) Guests of honour take a group photo with other guests.

(In the front; from left to right)

Mr YANG Bin, CEO of Greater Bay Area Homeland Youth Community Foundation, Mr Kenneth FOK, JP Executive Vice Chairman of Greater Bay Area Homeland Youth Community Foundation, Member of the Legislative Council and Vice President of the Fok Ying Tung Group, Dr HU Zhanghong, JP, CEO of Greater Bay Area Homeland Investments Limited and Director of the Financial Services Development Council, Professor SONG Lai, First-class Inspector, Deputy Director General, Youth Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR, Ms Alice MAK, SBS, JP Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mr Daryl NG, SBS, JP Chairman of the Greater Bay Area Homeland Youth Community Foundation (Deputy Chairman of Sino Group) , Ms Salome SEE  Group Managing Director of Hong Kong Economic Times Holdings and Managing Director of ET Net, Mr Jason WONG, JP Council Member of Greater Bay Area Homeland Youth Community Foundation and Chairman, Mr Mickey YAN, MH, JP Council Member of Greater Bay Area Homeland Youth Community Foundation and Chairman

 

(At the back; from left to right)

Mr Stephen LAM, Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Ponte Orchestra and Singers, Mr Steven PUN, Co-founder and CEO of PROTECH Group and, a Ten Outstanding Young Person 2022, Mr Gordon TAM, Founder and CEO of Farm66, Mr Eric Gnock FAH, Chief Operating Officer and Co-founder of Klook, Mr Derek CHIM, Head of Incubation and Acceleration Programmes of Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks Corporation, Mr Albert WONG, Chief Executive Officer of Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks Corporation, Mr Sean LEE, Director and Chief Executive Officer of China Mobile Hong Kong Company Limited, Hon Duncan CHIU, Hong Kong Legislative Council Member (Functional Constituency - Technology and Innovation), President of Hong Kong Information Technology Joint Council,  Professor Fredric MAO, BBS, Director Laureate of Hong Kong Repertory Theatre, Mr Reeve KWAN, Co-founder of GoGoX, Dr Wendy LEE, General Manager of Chevalier (Network Solutions) Limited, Professor Tony MOK, BBS, Chairman of Department of Clinical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Mr WONG Cho Lam, Director of Tailor Made Production Limited, Mr Shawn CHEUNG, Hong Kong Fencer

Photo 5) Group photo of participants at the GBA Youth Forum 2023.