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MSRS 9th Anniversary Celebration and Sharing Sessions

2024-09-15

The Maritime Silk Road Society (MSRS) organized the “MSRS 9^th Anniversary Celebration and Sharing Sessions” today (14 September) at Duke of Windsor Social Service Building in Wanchai to celebrate its 9^th anniversary.

Officiating guests included Mrs Regina Ip and Mr Bernard Chan, Co-chairs of MSRS; Mr Roland Wong and Dr Charles Ng, Vice-chairs of MSRS Youth Opportunities Committee; Mr Suen Kwok Lam, representative of Dr Peter Lee, Honorary President of MSRS and Chair of Youth Opportunities Committee; Presidents of Board of Honorary Advisory Governors and Honorary Advisors of MSRS were also present.

Other guests included Ms Yan Lijun, Director of Hong Kong & Macao Affairs Office of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region; Mr Frank Fan, representative of Euroterra Capital; representatives of host organizations and institutions of “Operation Zhang Qian 2024”; participants of explorations and MSRS members.

Mrs Regina Ip gave the welcoming speech. She noted that in the nine years of establishment, MSRS has organized over 300 events, mostly related to strengthening people-to-people bonds, and promoting exchanges between Hong Kong and Belt and Road economies. These efforts were in line with Article 7 of Law on Foreign Relations of the People’s Republic of China announced last June, which encourages civilian diplomacy as a manifestation of the importance the nation has placed on international exchanges.

She pointed out that the concept of the “Belt and Road” Initiative has evolved over the past decade. The decision of the Third Plenary Session of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China has set out in details the future direction of the “Belt and Road” Initiative, which consists of 12 parts and 60 articles. Part 7 of the decision on improving the high level of external liberalization is related to Hong Kong, in which paragraph 17 on optimizing regional liberalization mentions that it is hoped that Hong Kong will consolidate its position of being an international shipping centre, financial centre, and trade centre as well as a talent hub. Article 28 proposes to improve and promote the construction of the “Belt and Road” Initiative with Hong Kong having an important role and a unique function in it.

In his remarks, Mr Bernard Chan mentioned that MSRS has been organizing its key project, “Operation Zhang Qian — Undergraduate Summer Internship Programme”, for nine years for local undergrads. Every year, students undertake internships in ASEAN countries and the "Belt and Road" regions during the summer vacation. He believed that in addition to understanding these countries, students can also let them know more about the nation and Hong Kong, so that Hong Kong could become a genuine super-connector and achieve people-to-people connectivity.

As MSRS approaches its 10^th anniversary, he firmly believed that MSRS would adhere to its mission to promote economic and cultural exchanges between Hong Kong and B&R regions and organize more exploration tours in B&R and ASEAN regions.

Mr Roland Wong and Dr Charles Ng also gave their remarks at the ceremony.

During the “Operation Zhang Qian 2024” sharing session, five interns shared their experience on their internship.

Participants of youth and cultural exploration tours, including “B&R and Guizhou” Technological and Cultural Exploration, “Sichuan Chengdu Archaeological & Cultural Exploration”, “Belt & Road: Malaysia Business and Trade Tour”, “Türkiye – Ancient Silk Road Exploration” and “Guangxi Business Delegation to Study The Strategic Hinterland of The GBA”, shared their experience and after thoughts.

Participating organizations of Operation Zhang Qian 2024 included China Merchant Port Holdings Company Limited, Citybus Limited, CLP Holdings Limited, Euroterra Capital, Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited, Hong Kong & Macao Affairs Office Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Jardine Matheson Limited, K. Wah Construction Materials (HK) Co., Limited, Lan Kwai Fong – Andara Resort & Villas Co., Ltd, Roborn Technology Limited, Scout Association of Hong Kong, Wing Heong Food Industries Sdn. Bhd. and Xinyi Group (Glass) Company Ltd. Jardine Matheson Limited also provided an online training session to help interns better equip themselves for the internship.

Participating institutions of Operation Zhang Qian 2024 included City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Hong Kong Shue Yan University, Lingnan University, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, The Education University of Hong Kong, The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, The University of Hong Kong, and Vocational Training Council.

Please click here for “Outstanding Reports” prepared by the Operation Zhang Qian interns.

Please click here for MSRS 9th Anniversary Brochure.