PolyU holds flag-raising ceremony to celebrate the 72nd anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) today held a flag-raising ceremony on campus in celebration of the 72nd anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

The University is honoured to have had Professor TAN Tieniu, Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, officiate at the ceremony.

PolyU’s Chairman of Council Dr LAM Tai-fai, President Professor Jin-Guang TENG and University Court Chairman Dr Katherine NGAN, together with approximately 700 guests and members of the Council and University Court, University senior management, staff, alumni and students attended the ceremony, wishing prosperity for the Nation and Hong Kong.

Dr Lam Tai-fai said: “In over seven decades of development, the Nation has overcome various challenges and remains unwavering in its determination to open up and progress. With exceptional courage and persistence, the Nation has gone from strength to strength. Today, the Nation is a major country in terms of economic, technological, sports and social development, and has moved to centre stage in global affairs. As a member of the tertiary education sector, PolyU strives to excel in nurturing talents, research and innovation, and knowledge transfer to help accelerate the advancement of the Nation and Hong Kong.”

After the ceremony, Professor Tan Tieniu joined an exchange session with a group of young scholars, including several researchers who have been awarded the prestigious Excellent Young Scientists Fund under the National Natural Science Foundation of China. They discussed how to leverage Hong Kong’s edge in education and research to nurture top talents and champions of innovation in science and technology.

“The central government has placed great importance on innovation and technology, and has emphasised supporting science and technology talents. At the central conference on talent policy, President Xi Jinping called for the building of high-calibre talent hubs in Beijing, Shanghai and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area. He also placed priority on developing a large pool of young science and technology talents, and stressed the importance of trusting such young talents with key responsibilities and leading roles. I hope members of Hong Kong society, including those from the science and technology sector, will seize this opportunity and take up this important historic task,” Professor Tan told the young scholars.

“I also hope you nurture many more future talents who are upright and highly moral; help attract and embrace talents at home and from abroad; be principled yet innovative; and foster a favourable environment for talents to thrive,” he added.

“Your work should focus on frontier science and technology, on the main areas of economic development, on the Nation’s critical needs, and on safeguarding people’s lives and public health. You should contribute to the integration of Hong Kong into the Nation’s development and endeavours, help unleash the city’s advantages in building a global centre for talent and innovation, and enable and expedite the development of Hong Kong into a global innovation hub,” Professor Tan said.

Professor Jin-Guang Teng also encouraged young people to set their sights on the Greater Bay Area. He said: “The Nation has launched its 14th Five-year Plan. It has also stated its support for building the Greater Bay Area into a global hub of innovation, education and talent. These initiatives have brought tremendous opportunity for the further development of Hong Kong as well as PolyU. The University will strengthen its efforts in contributing to the development of the Greater Bay Area, advancing its education initiatives and research collaboration in the region, and attracting global talents in innovation and technology to work in the GBA. We will strive to make an even greater contribution for Hong Kong to integrate into the Nation’s development, and support the Nation in its efforts to become a science and technology power.”

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