Author: Bernard Chan, Chairman of OHKF

This year marks the 10th anniversary of Our Hong Kong Foundation. Over the last 10 years, our Founding Chairman Mr Tung Chee-hwa, has given OHKF his all in furthering our three core missions: public policy research and advocacy, promoting Chinese culture, and compiling the Hong Kong Chronicles. Under Mr Tung’s leadership, OHKF’s contributions to the motherland and in serving Hong Kong have been fully recognised and supported by the Central Government, the Hong Kong SAR Government, and the whole community. Their great support will forever be in our heart.

Three missions at the past decade

Ten years ago, we set off as a start-up think tank focusing on public policy research. After years of hard work, today we are among the world's top 1% think tank. Our Public Policy Institute not only conducts policy research but is a think-and-do tank committed to policy advocacy and public engagement that makes an impact on policymaking in Hong Kong.

Under the OHKF umbrella, our Academy of Chinese Studies promotes tradition Chinese and tells the stories of China today. Rooted in Hong Kong and embracing the world, The Academy promotes the sense of national identity among the younger generations so that they understand the past and connect it with the present to explore the future. We let the world hear what China says, see how China develops, and understand what Chinese people aspire.

Another subsidiary of OHKF is the Hong Kong Chronicles Institute. It is dedicated to compiling the first-ever series of Hong Kong Chronicles as a comprehensive record of the 7,000-year history of Hong Kong that serves the three missions of preserving history, shedding light on good governance, and enlightening the people. The compilation of the Chronicles series, in both English and Chinese, commenced in 2019. So far five chronicles’ volumes have been produced, and the compilation work is well on scheduled for completion in 2027.

Riding on the publication of the chronicles books, we also organise associated activities to achieve the purpose of enlightening the public. In conjunction with the publication of "Hong Kong Chronicles – Nature" series, we organised the "Beautiful Hong Kong Project" that presents the cultural richness evolving from Hong Kong's natural environment. It was a public engagement project that inspired whole-community participation.

Towards the next decade in two new directions

As OHKF enters into the next 10 years, I am humbled by the honour to succeed as OHKF chairman, and am hugely indebted to Mr Tung and the OHKF Board of Governors for their trust in me. At this crucial juncture global tectonic changes, we are adding two new priorities to our core missions: connecting the world while telling China and Hong Kong stories, and promoting science and technology innovation.

We have a long way to go, and we are acutely aware of limits to which OHKF can achieve on our own. This is why we are striving to broaden our engagement, deepen our collaboration with our partners, and seek greater support from like-minded people and organisations. Leveraging on Hong Kong's unique strengths of being backed by the motherland and embracing the world, we will seize the opportunities brought about by the national policy, improve people's livelihood, and enhance Hong Kong's international competitiveness.

Connecting the world and telling the China and Hong Kong stories is a guiding principle that runs through all our programmes and activities. Our three operating organisations will seek to closely connect with the global community within their respective area of work. We have set up a wide range of platforms and organise forums to bring together local and international experts to share their wisdom, and then disseminate the contents in both Chinese and English through different platforms. For example, we have launched a new monthly series of "Our Hong Kong Stories", inviting expatriates working and living in Hong Kong to share their personal Hong Kong stories, so that these touching stories can be more effectively spread to foreign friends.

On the policy research front, we actively liaise with stakeholders around the world to expand our international network. We deepen our collaboration with high-end think tanks in China, such as the Chinese Association for Hong Kong and Macao Studies. We are broadening the horizon of our policy research, such as launching a Greater Bay Area Industry Development Index in the fourth quarter of this year to help foreign enterprises and investors better understand the GBA development and opportunities. Plans are also afoot to expand our research scope, such as to cover countries along the Belt and Road Initiative, and leverage the GBA experience to promote synergy between GBA development and the Belt and Road Initiative.

In line with the national policy of developing Hong Kong into a global cultural exchange hub, our Academy of Chinese Studies has been positioned as a treasure trove of Chinese cultural content. We produce high-quality original Chinese cultural content not just for all sectors and schools in Hong Kong but also promote it to the world in English language through our bilingual platforms. We partnered with TVB to produce mini-edutainment series on China. It became the talk of the town. The Academy is also positioned as partner of choice in providing national studies to promote the sense of national identity. We produce original national studies materials that are widely used in schools across Hong Kong. We also provide national studies training for the Civil Service College that has been attended by more than 7,000 participants, including directorate grade civil servants.

Along the way to promote Chinese culture, we continue to broaden our engagement and deepen collaboration with partners. In addition to government agencies, our partners include the Palace Museum in Beijing and major enterprises such as Tencent.

Innovation and technology are the driving force behind social progress and economic development. We spare no effort in promoting Hong Kong's development into an international science and technology centre, in line with the national policy. With the support of the Ministry of Science and Technology and the HKSAR Government, we have organised landmark projects such as the InnoTech Expo the InnoStars Award. We also presented a TV mini-series featuring the science and technology innovation in selected mainland cities.

Our policy research work, too, is aligned with the promotion of science and technology. We have conducted policy research and put forward policy recommendations in the areas of knowledge transfer, biotech, clinical trial, fintech, gerontech, and art-tech. Looking ahead, we will continue to work closely with the Government and various sectors to develop Hong Kong as science and technology centre.

In October last year, an OHKF delegation and I went on a Beijing trip to visit the Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, Mr Xia Baolong, and Minister of Science and Technology, Mr Yin Hejun. Locally we met with the Chief Executive Mr John Lee and the Director of the CPG Liaison Office in Hong Kong Mr Zheng Yanxiong. Their affirmation and support for OHKF is the driving force as we stride forward into our next 10 years.

(The article has been edited, images in the text are from OHKF, This article was published in the August 2024 issue of Bauhinia Magazine)