Delve into history and culture of the motherland, the president's letter says

Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong SAR Zheng Yanxiong poses for a group photo with students, teachers and other guests after reading out a letter from Chinese President Xi Jinping, on July 25, 2023, at Pui Kiu Middle School, in North Point, Hong Kong. (PHOTO / LOCPG.GOV.CN)

President Xi Jinping has called on students from a high school in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to develop a deep love for the motherland and its people, hone their abilities and become talented people capable of shouldering important responsibilities from an early age.  

In his reply to a letter from students at Pui Kiu Middle School, Xi underlined patriotism as the core of the Chinese national spirit, saying that the noble tradition of loving both the motherland and Hong Kong long upheld by the Hong Kong people is a crucial cornerstone for the stable and enduring implementation of “one country, two systems”.

In his letter dated July 24, the president said he was pleased to learn that the students had developed a stronger sense of pride in being Chinese and a sense of responsibility as the special administrative region’s young generation after participating in activities such as interacting with astronauts who are aboard China’s Tiangong space station.  

READ MORE: Chinese leader replies to letter from HK middle school students

“I hope that you can integrate the pursuit of knowledge with exploration of the world, gain a profound understanding of global developments and delve into the history, culture and realities of the motherland,” Xi wrote in the letter. 

He encouraged the children to contribute their strength to building an even better Hong Kong and the cause of national rejuvenation. 

Founded in 1946, Pui Kiu Middle School was one of the first Hong Kong schools to raise the national flag after the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949. The school has nurtured generations of people who love both the motherland and Hong Kong.

The students from the school recently wrote to the president to share their takeaways from events aimed at strengthening patriotism. In the letter, they also shared their resolve to carry forward the spirit of loving the nation and Hong Kong and contribute to national development and the SAR’s prosperity. 

When visiting the school to read Xi’s reply to the students on Tuesday, Zheng Yanxiong, director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong SAR, said Xi has long been concerned about Hong Kong’s youth.

Zheng said the letter fully reflects Xi’s sincere hope that the “one country, two systems” principle will continue steadily in Hong Kong, with the patriotic spirit passed down through generations.

Zheng said he hoped that students at the school live up to the president’s expectations and keep striving for excellence. In the meantime, he said he hoped that the Pui Kiu Middle School will continue upholding its distinctive patriotic qualities and promote national awareness and patriotism among its students. 

Additionally, Zheng said he expected that all sectors in the HKSAR will provide more room for young people’s development and nurture more successors of “one country, two systems” capable of assuming responsibilities in the times ahead.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said the SAR appreciates the reply letter from Xi, adding that the president’s earnest expectations for youths in Hong Kong to fulfill their mission and responsibilities as the younger generation in the city were palpable for all to see in the letter. 

While the letter conveyed care and encouragement to the school, it also served as an impetus for all schools in Hong Kong to organize various activities outside the classrooms, guiding the youths to deepen their understanding of the nation’s history, culture and realities, Lee said. 

The letter will also inspire schools in the SAR to strengthen their students’ sense of national pride, national identity and patriotism, turning these values into action and passing on the spirit of loving the country and Hong Kong to future generations, he added. 

Educators, youth inspired

Jasper Tsang Yok-sing, chancellor of Pui Kiu Middle School, expressed appreciation to the president on behalf of the school at a meeting at the school on Tuesday, saying that the reply from Xi was “a milestone in the education on patriotism in Hong Kong”. 

Xi’s letter was profoundly touching for the school’s faculty and students, and the school will continue to lead the way for the students in learning traditional Chinese culture and building up their emotional bonds with the motherland, he said. 

Jeff Sze Chun-fai, the SAR’s under-secretary for education, said the SAR authorities will use concrete actions to respond to Xi’s earnest expectations and keep enriching the national education system. 

Muk Ka-chun, a teacher of Chinese history, citizenship, and social development at Pui Kiu Middle School, said the letter was collaboratively written by over 150 students wishing to express their love for Hong Kong and its motherland.

Muk said teachers and students were extremely surprised and delighted that the president, who has a busy schedule, wrote back to them within one month.

Muk vowed that the school will continue with its patriotic education, and extend this model to more schools in Hong Kong in the future. 

A student representative involved in writing to Xi said the letter from the president was “a very precious gift”.

Inspired by the letter, she pledged to maintain a positive and proactive mindset, develop her talents, and become a youth of a new age with experience of living in Hong Kong, a love for the motherland, and an international perspective.

ALSO READ: Xi’s books ignite HK people’s passion at fair

Tang Fei, a lawmaker and vice-chairman of the Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers, said Xi’s reply demonstrates the central government’s commitment to its words, showing the importance it places on Hong Kong’s youth.

Also, this letter shows the central government’s recognition of Pui Kiu Middle School and other traditional patriotic schools in Hong Kong, Tang said. 

Tang suggested the education sector in Hong Kong promote the approaches, methods, and best practices for patriotic education at traditional schools, to make Hong Kong’s patriotic education more professional and effective.

Fong Yiu-lam, vice-chairman of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Youth Association, said the letter not only extends support and encouragement to the younger generation in Hong Kong but also reaffirms the commitment to “one country, two systems”. 

Contact the writers at xuwei@chinadaily.com.cn