The meeting of the 73rd session of the United Nations Committee on Economics, Social and Cultural Rights held from Feb 13 to March 3 demonstrated the potential and prowess of well-educated youth in Hong Kong who earned themselves a headline from the world media as “fresh young faces to share their country’s story at the UN meeting”. Eloquent and charming, the young elites impressed the world with their stories of the true Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the true China.

Earlier, 12 promising civil servants from various departments of the HKSAR government were dispatched to take up new positions in the United Nations. Thanks to the central government’s support, the brightest elites in the city have found a new career ladder to the international arena by embracing promising job opportunities to serve their best to the world and make a difference on the international stage. 

This was the second time that the HKSAR government had sent young public officers to work in UN offices under the UN Junior Professional Officer Programme. 

These young public officers are from different departments, including the Financial Secretary’s Office, Environment and Ecology Bureau, Labour and Welfare Bureau, Department of Justice, Customs and Excise Department, Drainage Services Department, Government Laboratory, Intellectual Property Department, Police, Transport Department and the Independent Commission Against Corruption. 

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They have been assigned to serve in UN offices in New York, Geneva, Vienna, and Nairobi as Chinese personnel for the upcoming two years. 

Hopes are high that these well-educated, multilingual young people will build strong ties with peers from the Chinese mainland and elsewhere in the world. After 25 years of the implementation of “one country, two systems”, Hong Kong’s young people are well aware of the benefits the city has gained from this political framework; they are in the position to tell the true story of “one country, two systems”.

The “one country” factor provides opportunities for the brightest minds in Hong Kong to broaden their horizons and exhibit their talents and prowess to solve problems in the world. The “two systems” factor allows Hong Kong’s young elites to become one of the most promising and privileged groups on the planet with the opportunity to work for the betterment of the world.

Hong Kong boasts its strengths in terms of being a free market, having a free investment environment and being a favored financial and business hub. Hong Kong welcomes stakeholders from all parts of the world to achieve a win-win outcome and beneficial cooperation

These young people in the UN serve as a bridge between China and the rest of the world amid unprecedented challenges in the areas of the economy, geopolitics and climate change. They are, therefore, supposed to shoulder the responsibility of telling the China story well and spreading Chinese young people’s voices well. 

In my opinion, stories about the “Chinese spirit” for enduring hardships and suffering, or the people’s resilience under all kinds of harsh conditions, are the best “Hong Kong story” that the city can tell the world. 

The central government gave its strong backing to Hong Kong in fighting off the separatist forces and Western interference, helping to thwart their attempt to grab the governing power of the HKSAR in 2019. 

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Shortly thereafter, the central authorities promulgated the National Security Law for Hong Kong, and initiated an overhaul of the city’s electoral system. 

Both measures have helped put the principle of “patriots administering Hong Kong” into practice, and boost young people’s confidence in the central government as well as the future of Hong Kong.

The SAR government attaches great importance to youth development as evidenced by a newly announced blueprint and a series of policies aimed at helping the younger generation. Young people are encouraged to put more effort into building a better Hong Kong. The dispatching of young Hong Kong public servants to UN offices is a manifestation of the success of “one country, two systems”. 

Hong Kong boasts its strengths in terms of being a free market, having a free investment environment and being a favored financial and business hub. Hong Kong welcomes stakeholders from all parts of the world to achieve a win-win outcome and beneficial cooperation. I believe young patriots in the city will contribute their best to woo global investors to the city and the country. 

READ MORE: HK highlights integrated support for youth in blueprint

By putting their skills to full use, young people can reach out to a wider audience abroad, and promote peaceful collaboration. The young minds in the city have opened their arms to embrace the chances both in the world and in the mainland in the post-pandemic era. Hong Kong can play a bigger role, and so can its young people who can find niches all over the world with pride in their country and Chinese culture. 

The author is vice-chairman of the Hong Kong CPPCC Youth Association, and an HKU Presidential PhD Scholar in Constitutional Law

The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.