The first exchange tour group of local ethnic minority students set off for the Greater Bay Area yesterday after receiving their mainland travel permits for non-Chinese permanent residents.
They will also be taught traditional Chinese arts such as paper-cutting and calligraphy.
This came after mainland immigration authorities announced last month that they would allow non-Chinese permanent residents in Hong Kong and Macau to apply for home-return permits, which would enable them to travel to the mainland multiple times during a five-year period.
"The permits will facilitate convenient border crossing and help non-Chinese residents look for more development opportunities in the mainland," Woo said.Nepalese student Gurung Shristy, 10, said the exchange tour is a rare opportunity to make mainland friends as well as learn about Chinese culture and the country's development.
"I am very happy and excited to join the trip," she said. "I can meet our sister school in the mainland and I also plan to show my dancing and singing to students there."She had joined an exchange trip to Guangzhou before, and remembered a "unique lunch experience" with mainland students.
"I love Chinese dishes and I hope I can make more new friends this time," she added.Her father, Raju Gurung, said he hoped his daughter could learn more about the culture and development in the mainland. He added: "It is necessary for us ethnic minority residents in Hong Kong to get to know about the country as we are part of it."
He added that other family members are also applying for permits to visit more mainland cities.Diallo Hafsatu, an African student going to the mainland for the first time, said she looks forward to visiting the Ip Man Museum in Foshan and learn more about the world-renowned martial arts master.
School supervisor Yeung Tsz-hei expected some 100 students to join the exchange tour next year as the new permits have largely shortened the time the school has to prepare for such trips."In the past, it would take us half a year to prepare and some students would fail to join the tour due to visa issues every time," Yeung said. "It would benefit the students if they could learn about mainland culture and lives earlier with the increasing integration of cities in the Greater Bay Area."
He adding that such tours will also help increase students' competitiveness in future careers.Principal Wong Wing-sze said the school will encourage more students and their parents to apply for the permits after the new term begins next month
ayra.wang@singtaonewscorp.com
