Education centre with aim to promote Chinese national identity opens in Hong Kong

A new education centre that aims to foster a strong sense of national identity with Hong Kong’s youth opened its doors on Friday.

The Centre of National History Education (Hong Kong) in Sai Wan was established after repeated calls from state leaders, including President Xi Jinping, to strengthen national identity and patriotism among Hongkongers.

However, its director, Ho Hon-kuen, denied there was any political “mission” behind the centre and said it received no money from Beijing’s liaison office.

“Our only mission is to make sure citizens have a basic knowledge about their own country,” Ho said. The centre aims “to pass on the history and culture of China, build up a national identity, and allow the next generation to uphold warmth and respect for the nation,” Ho said.

The annual cost of running the centre was expected to be more than HK$1,000,000 (US$127,430), which will be continue to be raised through donations.

Tan Tieniu, deputy director of the liaison office, and Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, the city’s No 2 official, were among the guests at Friday’s inauguration.

In 2016, Beijing loyalist Rita Fan Hsu Lai-tai, the city’s former sole member on China’s top legislative body, also co-founded the Endeavour Education Centre to educate young people about Chinese history.