Currently, the world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century, with the global political and economic landscape rapidly reshaping.
In this magnificent historical process, mainland China is standing at the center of the world stage with a more open and confident posture.
From institutional innovations in facilitating entry and exit, to frequent diplomatic exchanges by heads of state, and spontaneous visits by top online influencers, a vibrant, open, and inclusive contemporary China is raising high the banner of a community with a shared future for mankind, attracting global attention.
Hong Kong’s first payload specialist was recently selected as a national astronaut and will participate in a manned space mission, realizing the generations-long dream of Hong Kong people to conquer space.
Faced with such a grand international situation and national achievements, young people from Hong Kong and Macao must understand the international trends, especially recognizing that “One Country, Two Systems” itself is a symbol of inclusiveness and the beauty of each culture, and its successful international significance lies precisely in the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind.
Therefore, they must consciously integrate their own development into the historical tide of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, striving to become brilliant storytellers of the new era’s Chinese story and the Hong Kong and Macao story.
Our motherland is becoming more and more open; people are exchanging ideas heart to heart.
A nation’s diplomatic strength and international influence are primarily reflected in its inclusive system and cultural confidence.
Currently, mainland China has officially implemented a 240-hour visa-free transit policy for foreigners. This strategically visionary institutional innovation is undoubtedly a vivid portrayal of contemporary China’s confidence as a major power.
This policy significantly expands the length of stay and scope of activities for foreign travelers in China. It not only greatly simplifies entry procedures for global business people, experts, scholars, and ordinary tourists, but also sends a strong signal to the world that China is firmly committed to promoting high-level opening-up and multilateral international exchanges.
It facilitates two-way travel between China and other countries, allowing more foreign citizens to witness and experience firsthand the true face of China’s development, thus refuting the biased opinions of a few international figures who smear China’s closed-door policy.
The effects of people-to-people exchanges are becoming increasingly evident, with waves of visits to China emerging in the internet age.
Last year, the top American internet celebrity “IShowSpeed” made good use of the visa-free transit policy when he conducted a live broadcast in mainland China, easily gaining entry. His broadcast generated phenomenal attention on social media both domestically and internationally. Countless overseas viewers unfamiliar with China saw for the first time, in real-time and directly, the modern, technologically advanced, and extremely safe urban landscape of China.
This kind of spontaneous, highly influential international exchange has broken down the stereotypes and information barriers that Western traditional media have long erected against China.
It proves that contemporary China possesses both a profound historical and cultural heritage spanning millennia and the vibrant, inclusive modern urban life that leads global trends. This multi-dimensional national image is winning the favor and respect of international youth at an unprecedented speed.
Leaders of major powers visit China to seek common ground while reserving differences and jointly build peace.
While cultural exchanges between the people are flourishing, the leaders of the United States and Russia have successively visited China.
The current international situation is complex and volatile, but the successive visits to China by leaders of important world powers have once again made Beijing the absolute focus of global political and diplomatic attention.
Looking back at the international landscape in recent years, following a series of historic strategic interactions between Trump and China during his presidency, Putin also visited China.
The successive visits by leaders of major global powers and important economies profoundly reflect China’s pivotal strategic position in international multilateral affairs, as well as the strong reliance of various countries on China’s economic size, market potential, and development prospects, and also their belief that China has the ability to seek stability amidst change.
Most importantly, these high-level meetings and strategic alignments were not merely formal political pronouncements, but rather facilitated numerous high-quality, mutually beneficial agreements and substantive cooperation. For example, China and Russia, among others, have continuously optimized settlement structures in commodity trading, energy exports, and cross-border e-commerce, effectively enhancing bilateral trade and economic resilience against external financial risks.
Regarding strategic alignment, the Belt and Road Initiative is deeply integrated with the local development strategies of various countries. In the fields of high technology and green transformation, China’s leading technologies in new energy vehicles, 5G communication networks, and artificial intelligence applications have benefited numerous countries. Unlike the United States, China has not frequently withdrawn from international agreements; instead, it has pragmatically defended international mechanisms and strived to build a community with a shared future for mankind, which deserves high praise.
Young people actively promote the international significance of “one country, two systems”.
As an inseparable part of the nation, Hong Kong and Macao have never been absent from this great historical process. Recently, the first Hong Kong astronaut, Lai Ka-ying, embarked on his space mission.
This is a historic moment, a shared pride of all Hong Kong and Macao citizens, and indeed, all Chinese people. The birth of a Hong Kong-born astronaut is by no means an isolated case, but rather a concentrated manifestation of the central government’s long-term high regard, sincere care, and full trust in the talents of young people from Hong Kong and Macao.
This powerfully demonstrates that under the unique institutional advantages of “One Country, Two Systems,” young people from Hong Kong and Macao can not only showcase their talents on the local stage, but also have more opportunities than before to represent the country in cutting-edge national strategic projects such as manned spaceflight, deep space exploration, and quantum communication. In the future, they are expected to make even greater contributions in fields such as aerospace finance and international mechanisms, contributing their modest efforts to the community of shared future for mankind.
While leaders of major powers are actively seeking dialogue with China, and top overseas influencers are offering different perspectives on Chinese cities, young people from Hong Kong and Macao also shoulder the mission of telling the stories of Hong Kong and Macao, and the stories of China.
We can start with ourselves. For example, we can vividly tell our foreign friends about a real, three-dimensional, comprehensive, and opportunity-filled contemporary China, explaining that the essence of “one country, two systems” is the compatibility of socialism and capitalism, and that its successful implementation in Hong Kong and Macau proves the possibility of a community with a shared future for mankind. Alternatively, we can share our insights on “one country, two systems” based on our learning and work experiences as we pursue our own life’s value, and submit these insights to mainstream media. Every beginning is difficult, but young people from Hong Kong and Macau must take responsibility and lead by example.
