A group of Hong Kong secondary school students recently concluded an intensive 10-day training camp in Beijing, where they immersed themselves in the worlds of robotics and artificial intelligence. The camp, part of the "Creating the Future" youth innovation program, focused on hands-on learning and culminated in a final ceremony showcasing their projects.

At the closing ceremony held at the China Soong Ching Ling Science & Culture Centre for Young People, the students read a joint initiative pledging their commitment to using technology for innovation and social good. They vowed to leverage AI and robotics to build a "warm and green" intelligent future and contribute to national technological self-reliance.

The training camp, which ran in two phases, covered four themes including new energy, aerospace, and engineering in its first phase. The second phase, which just concluded, was dedicated to robotics and AI. During this stage, the students visited university labs and tech companies, attended expert lectures, and engaged in hands-on projects, gaining direct exposure to the forefront of national tech development.

At the ceremony, the students' creations—ranging from code to physical prototypes—were displayed. One student, He Xinyan from Hong Kong Man Kwan Pak Kau College, shared that the camp broadened his thinking on robot applications, which he has been passionate about since childhood. He expressed a desire to one day design robots that solve practical, everyday problems.

Another student, Zheng Youxi from Hong Kong Lok Tao Secondary School, noted that the field visits gave her a tangible understanding of the country's technological achievements. She and her team developed an app called "Emotional Tree House," designed to support youth mental health. She emphasized her commitment to deepening her knowledge of AI and contributing to society.

Student Du Hongjun from Hong Kong You Cai (Yang Yin You Di) College felt encouraged by the national focus on nurturing Hong Kong's young tech talent. He looks forward to a career in tech innovation, aiming to help advance national progress and share the benefits of technology with more people.

Teacher Feng Xilin from Hong Kong Aberdeen Technical School praised the students' performance, saying the exposure to national tech achievements helps them identify their interests and future directions. He also called for stronger exchanges between Hong Kong and the mainland, including access to more teaching platforms, tools, and resources to support Hong Kong's tech education development.

The "Creating the Future" youth innovation program, launched in June 2025, is hosted by the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation and jointly donated to by the Academy of Public Welfare and Philanthropy and the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust. It targets Hong Kong youth, aiming to build a collaborative platform for tech education between the mainland and Hong Kong, nurture young talent with national awareness, and support the stable development of the "One Country, Two Systems" policy.