Speech by DCS at Opening Ceremony of Global Youth Powerhouse Summit 2024 (English only) (with photos)

     Following is the speech by the Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing, at the Opening Ceremony of the Global Youth Powerhouse Summit 2024 today (November 28):

Elsie (former Secretary for Justice Miss Elsie Leung), Kin-por (Executive Council member Mr Chan Kin-por), Allan (Chairman of Lan Kwai Fong Group, Dr Allan Zeman), Kevin (Founding Convenor of the Hong Kong Youth Professional Global Advocacy, Dr Kevin Lau), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

     Good morning to you. It is my great pleasure to join you at the inaugural Global Youth Powerhouse Summit. First of all, I would like to thank the Hong Kong Youth Professional Global Advocacy for hosting this remarkable event, which brings together over 300 young professionals, policymakers and industry leaders from Hong Kong, the Greater Bay Area, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. Today's event provides an invaluable platform for embracing the voices and ideas of our future leaders.

     As we gather here at the Hong Kong Maritime Museum, we are blessed with the magnificent view of Victoria Harbour. In the same way that these waters have connected cultures and commerce for decades, today we forge new friendships and create opportunities by connecting minds and ideas, symbolising perfectly Hong Kong's position as a global nexus for young professional talent.

     The theme of today's summit, "Empowering Professionals for a Global Initiative: A Voice from Hong Kong", could not be more relevant and opportune. First, Hong Kong has always been a city where East meets West, where tradition meets innovation, and where opportunities meet talent, so we are the ideal place to conduct this dialogue. Second, the world has changed immensely in geopolitics, economic development, technological transformation, trade protection and global stability. As future leaders of the world, it is timely for young professionals to reflect on and examine how they should respond to the challenge.

     Insofar as Hong Kong is concerned, our unique position under "one country, two systems" has given us unsurpassed advantages in connecting easily with both the Mainland and the global community, particularly in high-impact sectors such as healthcare, finance, technology and creative industries, which distinguished speakers of the Summit will explore in depth in later sessions. 

     It is often said that young people are the leaders of tomorrow. But for the young professionals in this room and those watching online, let me tell you that you are the leaders of today; the future is already in your hands. As young professionals, you have an awful lot to offer in shaping the future of your place in your respective professional domains as doctors, lawyers, architects, engineers, computer specialists, financial analysts, accountants and so on. 

     Young men and women, to rise to the challenges ahead, I think it is essential to have the right mindset. The advancement and popularisation of telecommunications have considerably shortened the distance that set people apart by physical space and national boundaries. We are truly living in a global village. What we do would impact on other members of the village and vice versa. As responsible members of the village, we should look beyond our immediate local surroundings and cultivate a broad, national and global perspective that cherishes the building of a global community of a shared future. In practice, in addition to going about our lines of business professionally, we should set our vision wider on national and global issues such as AI development, climate change and public health, and where appropriate actively participate in the community's search for improvements and solutions. In the course of our business and visits, we can also promote mutual understanding and respect by interfacing more with our interlocutors, telling them our stories and listening to theirs.

     For Hong Kong young professionals in particular, the national strategies such as the Belt and Road Initiative and the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area have brought enormous development opportunities. The seizing of these opportunities is further aided by the recent enhancement of CEPA, which introduces new liberalisation measures in different forms across service sectors where Hong Kong enjoys competitive advantages, such as financial services, construction and related engineering services, testing and certification, and so on. I urge you to make the most of the opportunities to realise your own goals and contribute to the building of a global community of a shared future.

     Dear young professionals, the future is literally in your own hands. Think wide. Think big. Reach for the sky and the sky is within your reach. Thank you very much.