Learn Chinese history to cultivate national identity and avoid being divided by foreign forces, Hong Kong security chief tells youngsters

Young Hongkongers should learn about China’s history and development to cultivate their national identity and avoid being divided by foreign forces trying to suppress the country, the security chief has said.

Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung, who was at a sharing session with about 250 secondary school students at the Hong Kong Book Fair on Sunday, said many young people had wrong ideas about the country and city government during the 2019 unrest, and had been encouraged to resort to violence and commit crimes.

“Foreign forces, to maintain their dominance, worked together to affect China’s peaceful development and carried out the colour revolution in Hong Kong to affect our country’s stability,” he said.

“The entire society suffered as a result. Many of our young people had to bear the legal consequences and face years of imprisonment.”

Tang said Western countries made use of geopolitics to play their zero-sum game and Hong Kong must stay prepared against being used by them to threaten national security.

Students from 19 secondary schools took part in the event named “Fun Reading Day” on Sunday. It was organised by the pro-establishment Hong Kong Chinese Importers’ and Exporters’ Association and the Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers.

The theme of this year’s event was “Hong Kong stories”, aimed at letting students learn more about – and contribute – to the city and the country. It was co-organised by the book fair, which lasts until Tuesday.

Tang urged the students to recognise the nature of foreign forces and their “colour revolution”, which used excuses including democracy to topple governments that refused to play along with them for their own interests.