"My Interfaces with the Belt and Road Initiative"

"My Interfaces with the Belt and Road Initiative" is an inter-school comprehensive ability competition in Hong Kong, as well as the flagship program of "Belt and Road Pioneer". Launched in 2017, the event was expanded and upgraded in its second edition in 2018 with the addition of an tertiary student group for 18-25 year olds (including university students), attracting a broader youth audience. Centered on the core mission of "empowering young people to seize the opportunities of the times", the program adopts a model of weekend expert lectures (details: https://www.brp.com.hk/a-list/15411-cht?lang=eng) and phased competitions. It aims to help Hong Kong’s teenagers and young adults deeply connect with the dividends of the Belt and Road Initiative and the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, equipping them comprehensively for the international stage through further education planning, language and cultural learning, and career and study destination choices.

The event combines knowledge dissemination with practical competition: Participants first enrich their understanding through top-tier expert lectures. The speaker (in 2025) lineup includes dozens of academic authorities such as Professor Simon HO (President of Hang Seng University of Hong Kong), Dr. Jun MA (Chairman of the Hong Kong Green Finance Association), and Professor Terence CHONG (Director of the Liu Institute for Global Economics and Finance at The Chinese University of Hong Kong), and Professor Thomas CHAN (Director of The Ng Teng Fong· Sino Group Belt and Road Research Institute of the Hong Kong Chu Hai College) covering core topics such as Silk Road economics, green finance, Greater Bay Area opportunities, and technological innovation. Subsequently, participants go through layers of selection including the "Preliminary Round (objective question selection)" and the "Final Demonstration Round (thematic presentation competition)" to compete for awards.

Outstanding teachers and students of the competition will embark on a high-standard cross-border exchange tour every summer vacation, traveling to Belt and Road countries and regions radiated by the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The tour is jointly promoted or personally led by Honorary Chairman Prof. Herman HU, Honorary Presidents Mr. Bernard CHAN and Hon. CHAN Yung, as well as many volunteer celebrities, offering both practical experience and high-end resource connection opportunities:

• 1st trip (2017) "Silk Road Exploration into Malaysia": Visited Malacca, engaging in face-to-face exchanges with political and business leaders at the top-floor banquet hall of Maybank, Malaysia’s leading enterprise, to explore Southeast Asia’s economic and trade landscape;
• 2nd trip (2018) "Silk Road Exploration into Thailand": Personally organized by Founding Honorary President Mr. Bernard CHAN, featuring meetings with business elites at the premium venue of Bangkok Bank, Thailand’s largest financial institution, to gain in-depth insights into the development blueprint of the "Digital Silk Road" under Thailand’s "Thailand 4.0" strategy (Eastern Economic Corridor);
• 3rd trip (2019) "Exploring Innovation in Vietnam": Received warm hospitality and professional arrangements from business and political leaders including Dr. Tsai Kwan-sum (New World Group) and Mr. Lam Sai-ho (Golden Resources Rice Industry), witnessing the innovative practices and industrial upgrading of Vietnam’s "Industry 4.0" up close.

During the pandemic, the event innovatively transformed into localized experiences. The 4th and 5th editions replaced cross-border exchanges with the "Greater Bay Area Green Tourism" program and the "Green Sustainability Certificate" project, focusing on promoting ecological and environmental protection concepts. It led teachers and students to participate in building a livable, workable, and tourist-friendly "high-quality living circle" in the Greater Bay Area, contributing to the construction of "Beautiful China". As the situation improved, cross-border exchanges fully resumed:

• 6th trip (2023) "Silk Road Exploration into Indonesia": Witnessed the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway, a benchmark of China-Indonesia infrastructure cooperation;
• 7th trip (2024) "Silk Road Exploration into Cambodia": Visited model green infrastructure projects in Southeast Asia;
• 8th trip (2025) "Silk Road Exploration into Laos": Tracked regional connectivity and economic prosperity driven by the China-Laos Railway.

Each exchange trip opens a new window for young people to see the world, and each lecture empowers their growth. The opportunities and values of the Belt and Road Initiative have become an important driving force for teenagers and young adults in pursuing their dreams.