Kenneth Fok Kai-kong, a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), attends a news conference on political advisors' performance of duties in the new era for the second session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2019. [Photo by Zhu Xingxin/chinadaily.com.cn] Increased efforts will be made to further engage young people in Hong Kong to join the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area development, a political adviser said Sunday. It is hoped the development will allow the region's young explore a growing number of opportunities. Kenneth Fok Kai-kong, a Hong Kong member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said that young people in Hong Kong have warmed to the central government's Greater Bay Area development plan, but many only have vague ideas of what the Greater Bay Area means to them. It is important to help these young people see for themselves the great potential and key roles they can play in realizing the vision central government has set out for the Greater Bay Area, so they fulfill their personal development aspirations, said Fok. Fok referred to a series of concrete policy measures, rolled out under the central government's support, making it more convenient for people in Hong Kong and Macao to work, live and study in the Greater Bay Area. While young people benefit from, these policies, more needs to be done to communicate how, Fok said. He said that the Greater Bay Area is a region where 11 member cities will be closely integrated and form a one-hour living circle, and that the region will be a home for Hong Kong's young to pursue futures. For the young people to see that, it takes time and continuous engagement to change their perception, Fok said. Speaking at a CPPCC National Committee news conference in Beijing with four other fellow members, Fok reviewed youth engagement work he has carried out as a political adviser since 2018. He suggested new approaches be adopted to organize programs reflecting what the young care about and are interested in, and addresses their concerns and uncertainties about the Greater Bay Area. Most youth-exchange programs in Hong Kong in the past focused more on sending young people to the Chinese mainland's first-tier cities, like Guangzhou and Shenzhen of Guangdong province, said Fok. In the future we should bring our young people to visit less-developed cities like Huizhou and Zhaoqing. Then the young people could get a full picture of the Greater Bay Area, as well as a better understanding of how the 11 cities can develop together to become a world-class bay area, he said. custom bar braceletcustom sports braceletscustom logo wristbandsde securite pour personne ageeembossed wristbandscolorfilled wristbandsembossed printed wristbandsdual layer wristbands
A passenger takes a selfie with G5711, the first high-speed train from Shenzhen to Hong Kong, at Shenzhen North Railway Station in Shenzhen city, South China's Guangdong province, on Sunday. [Photo/Xinhua] HONG KONG -- The whole line of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link has been put into official operation, as the Hong Kong section of the high-speed railway entered into service on Sunday morning. A bullet train G5736 left Hong Kong West Kowloon Station at 7 am on Sunday for Shenzhen North Railway Station in Guangdong Province and arrived at the Shenzhen station in 19 minutes. Some 500 passengers, including those from media, came to the Hong Kong West Kowloon Station to take the first train. The carriage was quite spacious and the seats could be adjusted to face front or back, according to Mr. Leung, a Hong Kong citizen who were aboard the train. It (the ride) is quite comfortable. In the future, I would like to go to some places further, like Beijing for example. It takes only a few hours after all, the 70-year-old man told Xinhua. The rail link could bring more opportunities to Hong Kong and I feel quite excited to witness such a historic moment, said Leung. Earlier in the morning, the high-speed train G5711 left Shenzhen North Railway Station at 6:44 am for Hong Kong West Kowloon Station, and arrived at the Hong Kong station at 7:03 a.m.. At 6:48 am, high-speed train G6501 left Guangzhou South Railway Station to head for Hong Kong West Kowloon Station and arrived at the Hong Kong station in 55 minutes. Hou Ruiting, the captain of train G5711, said the train attendants have all received training on manners and languages to better their services in the ride. Our attendants have taken special training and examinations of Cantonese and English to cater to all passengers, said Hou. A Shenzhen resident, who gave her family name as Wang, took the first train from Shenzhen to Hong Kong, with her four family members. It took only 19 minutes for us to arrive in Hong Kong from Shenzhen. (It's) so convenient. In the past, I had to spend nearly two hours on the trip, said Ms. Wang. Customs clearance procedures are simplified, with exit-entry inspections by both sides being conducted at the Hong Kong West Kowloon Station. The co-location arrangement is very convenient and I finished all the clearance procedures in a few minutes. Now I can't wait to try the famous Yum Cha (a traditional Hong Kong-style dim sum meal with tea), said another resident from Shenzhen, who gave his family name as Tian. The whole rail line was put into service one day ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival, a key traditional festival for family reunion. Many passengers took the train to join with their families for festival celebration. A Hong Kong citizen surnamed Lee took the train from Shenzhen to Hong Kong to celebrate the festival with his parents. I live in Shenzhen with my wife and son. We are visiting my parents to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. The high-speed rail makes it more convenient for us to return home in Hong Kong, Lee said. A total of 95 pairs of high-speed trains are scheduled for the service on the line of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link on Sunday, including 13 pairs of long-distance trains, according to the China Railway Corporation. The 141-km Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link includes 115 km on the Chinese mainland and 26 km in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR). Being a key part of China's high-speed rail network, it will offer direct rail services between Hong Kong and 44 destinations on the mainland, like Beijing, Shanghai, Shijiazhuang, Zhengzhou, Wuhan, Changsha, Hangzhou, Nanchang, Fuzhou, Xiamen, Shantou, Guiyang, Guilin and Kunming. During the initial operation period, the numbers of trains in operation will vary with demands on weekdays, weekends and peak time. Up to 127 pairs of trains will be in service on a single day with peak demand. From Hong Kong West Kowloon Station, it will take a minimum of 14 minutes to get to Futian Railway Station in Shenzhen, a minimum of 47 minutes to Guangzhou South Railway Station, and eight hours and 56 minutes to Beijing West Railway Station. Chen Xiaomei, spokesperson with China Railway Guangzhou Group Co. Ltd., said the mainland and Hong Kong have built coordination mechanisms covering various aspects such as dispatching and commanding trains, passenger transportation and power supply. Various emergency response plans have been mapped out to ensure safe operation of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link, Chen said. The rail link is expected to facilitate exchanges between the mainland and the Hong Kong SAR and boost economic development along the line, Chen said.
