HONG KONG - The Shenzhou XXIII crewed spaceship lifted off successfully on Sunday. Aastronaut Lai Ka-ying has made history as the first Hong Kong payload specialist to enter space orbit.

As the first crewed space mission during the national 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) period, the mission represents fresh progress for China's space industry and brings shared pride to residents across both the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and the Macao SAR.

"All citizens of Hong Kong are thrilled and proud," said John Lee Ka-chiu, chief executive of the HKSAR, on Sunday night, congratulating on the successful launch.

"With the strong support of the country, the HKSAR can transform from a 'supporter' of the country's great aerospace endeavors into an 'executor'," he said, noting that this not only demonstrates the HKSAR's capability in contributing to the nation's aerospace strength, but also showcases how Hong Kong could better integrate into and serve the overall national development.

Senior regional officials and community leaders echoed the positive remarks. Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, convenor of the Executive Council, highlighted the nation's recognition of Hong Kong's technological talents. She pledged to seize this historic opportunity to cultivate more innovative high-end talents for national development.

Cheng Cheung-ling, president of the Hong Kong China Friendship Association, said Lai's achievement embodies the aspirations of Hong Kong's younger generation and encourages local youth to tie their personal development goals to the cause of national rejuvenation.

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The Shenzhou XXIII launch has energized Hong Kong's technology sector. Wong Kam-fai, associate dean of the Faculty of Engineering at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, called on local researchers to build on this momentum. He stressed leveraging Hong Kong's strengths in basic scientific research to advance breakthroughs in aerospace materials, space medicine and artificial intelligence.

Across the border in Macao, Jose Chui Sai-peng, a member of the Macao SAR Legislative Assembly and president of the Association for Promotion of Science and Technology of Macao, hailed the mission as "a national triumph and a shared honor".

He expressed anticipation for future Macao payload specialists joining national space missions, noting that the association will deepen tech ties with the mainland and HKSAR to spark youth interest in space and science.

Anderson Shum Ho-cheung, president of the Hong Kong Young Academy of Sciences and vice-president (research) of City University of Hong Kong, witnessed the liftoff in person at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Northwest China. He said Lai's selection for the space mission stands as solid proof of Hong Kong's robust science education system and talent cultivation pipeline.

The country's continuous aerospace breakthroughs and strong support for Hong Kong's development have invigorated the local tech community and opened up broader development paths for global scientific and technological talents in the region, he said.

For local educators, the mission serves as a vivid, inspiring, practical lesson for Hong Kong's youth. Li Siu-kei, assistant principal of Hong Kong'

s Methodist College, said the historic liftoff conveys valuable spirits of innovation, curiosity and perseverance to students.

"Watching the launch live, comments such as 'Love China' flooded in. It's inspiring knowing that space dreams are within reach," a student surnamed Chan from Macao's Kao Yip Middle School said after watching the live launch.

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Leung Chun-ying, vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, pointed out that Hong Kong's unique advantages in financing, global networking, legal services and insurance can bolster the development of China's commercial aerospace industry, creating diverse development opportunities for young talents in both liberal arts and science fields.