Policy Address 2025: More patriotic education on the 80th anniversary of Chinese WWII victory

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said the government is widening the scope of patriotic education provision to cover the Hong Kong public with Communist-themed tourist sites.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. Collaborating with the Shenzhen government, Hong Kong will roll out new tourist attractions highlighting the Chinese role during the Japanese invasion of British colonial Hong Kong. 

According to the 2025 Policy Address, the government is launching new tourist attractions to strengthen patriotism. Dubbed as “Chinese Cultural Celebrity Rescue”, a series of historic spots in Hong Kong and Shenzhen would be listed in the new red educational route. 

The route stems from the four-year history of the Hong Kong Independent Battalion of the Dongjiang Column’s rescue mission during the Japanese occupation. 

Meanwhile, Lee called on Hong Kong students and young people to visit more mainland Communist-themed tourist sites, making the sites “patriotic education bases of Hong Kong”.

Wu Siu-wai, vice-chairman of Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers, told TYR in an email interview that the new red education route can allow the public to learn more about Hong Kong’s contribution to the establishment of the People’s Republic of China. 

Citing the existing poor outcome of patriotic education and Hong Kong youngsters’ distorted understanding of China, Wu cautioned ill-prepared patriotic education visits to the mainland might worsen the situation. 

Hans Yeung Wing-yu, a former manager at the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority and education policy commentator, mocked the government for not building more of its own patriotic sites. 

“By making the mainland’s facilities the patriotic bases of Hong Kong, does it mean Hong Kong has no ability to create its own patriotic education base?” Yeung said.

Following a series of large-scale commemorative activities, including exhibitions, film screenings and library events, Hong Kong schools are asked to further integrate patriotic education into daily learning and teaching.

The Education Bureau aims to popularise a series of activities related to "Love Our Home, Treasure Our Country" and continuously strengthen the Constitution and Basic Law Student Ambassadors Training Scheme.

The final version of the Values Education Curriculum Framework will be implemented, while the curriculum frameworks for the senior secondary Chinese History and History subjects will be amended as well.

On Sept. 3, many Hong Kong primary and secondary schools reportedly required their students to watch the Chinese Victory Day Parade livestream during school hours. 

Tavis Cheng Lik-tin, 16, a Form Five student, said his history teacher showed the military parade during class.

“Some people fell asleep, I think it’s just a waste of time,” he said.

Tom Li, in his late twenties, is a secondary school math teacher. 

“Watching the parade was mandatory. I would rather spend that time teaching,” Li said.

Yeung added that Hong Kong students’ learning hours and motivation have been deprived by excessive patriotic education in their curriculum.