The Chinese national flag and the flag of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region flutter at Golden Bauhinia Square after a flag-raising ceremony in Wan Chai in celebration of the 74th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, in Hong Kong, Oct 1, 2023. (CALVIN NG / CHINA DAILY)

Hong Kong students who have returned from the first National Security Education Study Tour said the seven-day trip to the Chinese mainland acted as a catalyst for enhancing their resolve to safeguard national security.

Seventy-five teachers and students from 17 secondary schools across the city attended the tour co-organized by the Hong Kong government and the Hong Kong Shine Tak Foundation, visiting Beijing, Shanghai and Hangzhou from Mar 29 to Apr 4.

The trip was also the Hong Kong SAR government’s first mainland study tour themed on national security education.

In Beijing, students and teachers watched the flag-raising ceremony at Tiananmen Square and visited the Palace Museum. The group also saw China’s homegrown ARJ21, C919 and C929 jetliners — all developed by the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, and toured the National Security Education Exhibition Hall in Shanghai.

During their visit to Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, members of the tour took in the Hangzhou National Archives of Publications and Culture, the Liangzhu Museum, as well as e-commerce giant Alibaba’s headquarters.

A student from the Hong Kong Taoist Association Tang Hin Memorial Secondary School, surnamed Lung, said she was filled with pride and respect to the nation when watching the flag-raising ceremony at Tiananmen Square. The experience boosted her willingness to contribute to the prosperity of the motherland, Lung added

They also met with Nong Rong, deputy head of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, when they visited Beijing.

Apart from exploring different themed museums and exhibitions, the teachers and youngsters also had a chance to interact with their counterparts from the Experimental High School Attached to Beijing Normal University, sharing learning and campus lives.

A student surnamed Yin, from the St Stephen’s Girls’ College, said she was impressed by the grandeur of the Forbidden City — the imperial residence during the Ming and Qing dynasties, which witnessed the heyday and fall of feudalism. The history of the palace is a testament to the fact that only with a strong and prosperous country, social stability, and protection from external threats can people live and work in peace, and undertaking the trip strengthened her determination to strive for the defense of national security, she said.

A student from the Hong Kong Taoist Association Tang Hin Memorial Secondary School, surnamed Lung, said she was filled with pride and respect to the nation when watching the flag-raising ceremony at Tiananmen Square. The experience boosted her willingness to contribute to the prosperity of the motherland, Lung added.

Ho, a student from Shun Tak Fraternal Association Yung Yau College, noted that the development of home-made commercial aircraft signals an important breakthrough for the country’s aviation industry, and has also strengthened Hong Kong youngsters’ confidence in the nation’s scientific prowess.

Ho said the mainland visit taught her that each generation has its own responsibilities, and therefore she will forge ahead no matter what challenges she faces and contribute to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Wong Kam-leung, chairman of the Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers, told China Daily that the tour provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the country as it covers elements of history, culture and technology. This aims to help students grasp the importance of national security so that they can consciously safeguard it.

Wong said he hopes that future tours can also maintain high quality, and he called on the education sector to teach national security effectively in schools.

The tour group mainly consisted of students who had obtained good results, along with their teachers, in the Inter-school National Security Knowledge Challenge. The finals of the contest, which involved over 100,000 primary and secondary students, were held on Feb 26.

Contact the writer at stephyzhang@chinadailyhk.com