A delegation of 50 young members from Hong Kong's Customs YES program recently completed a six-day educational tour to Hangzhou and Shanghai, gaining firsthand exposure to China's technological advancements and cultural heritage.
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The summer program, organized by Hong Kong Customs, aimed to deepen participants' understanding of national development and history.
The itinerary included visits to significant historical sites commemorating important anniversaries.
With 2025 marking both the 80th anniversary of China's victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the 76th anniversary of the PRC's founding, the group paid respects at Shanghai's Sihang Warehouse Memorial and Jiaxing's Nanhu Revolutionary Memorial Hall.
Customs Commissioner Chan Tsz-tat accompanied the delegation to learn about wartime heroism and the Communist Party's founding principles.
Technology formed a major focus of the tour, with visits to leading Hangzhou firms including three of the city's "Six Little Dragons" enterprises specializing in robotics, AI, and brain-computer interfaces.
Participants explored facilities at Alibaba's global headquarters, Huawei's R&D center, and the manufacturing site of China's domestically-developed C919 aircraft.
These stops provided insights into cutting-edge fields like cloud computing, e-commerce, and aviation technology.
Cultural enrichment came through museum visits showcasing China's artistic heritage, including the Liangzhu Museum's ancient artifacts and exhibits at the Grand Canal Museum. The program represents part of Hong Kong Customs' ongoing efforts to foster national identity among youth through experiential learning.
Chan used the opportunity to meet with Shanghai Customs officials, discussing operational cooperation on trade facilitation and risk management.
Customs YES plans to continue organizing similar exchange programs to broaden young people's perspectives on the nation's development.
The tour combined historical education with exposure to China's innovation ecosystem, reflecting the program's mission to strengthen participants' connection to the country's past achievements and future potential.
