16 HK civil servants to join UN posts

A record 16 civil servants from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region have been recommended by the central government this year to take up two-year positions at the United Nations.

At a ceremony on Tuesday, officials from the central and HKSAR governments encouraged the young officers to tell the good stories of Hong Kong and the nation on the world stage, and to turn their experiences into innovative ideas and contribute to the SAR's socioeconomic development after completing their missions.

The 16 officers, the third batch recommended by the country, will join the United Nations Junior Professional Officer program, which provides young professionals with hands-on experience in multilateral technical cooperation and international development.

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said the young public servants represent the SAR's contribution to the nation's efforts to work with the world in addressing modern-day challenges.

Speaking at the ceremony held at the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the HKSAR, Lee said Hong Kong civil servants serving at the UN as Chinese staff act as ambassadors for the SAR and witnesses to the successful implementation of the "one country, two systems" principle.

He encouraged them to share Hong Kong's authentic and positive narrative with international colleagues and return with a broader international outlook, greater experience in global governance and wider international networks.

Lee also said the HKSAR government will launch its first five-year plan on Sept 16. Aligned with the national 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30), the plan maps out Hong Kong's economic and social development over the next five years, while strengthening the city's role in supporting national opening-up and serving as a platform for Chinese-Western civilizational exchange.

Cui Jianchun, commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the HKSAR, said recommending young Hong Kong public servants for UN posts is a key initiative by the central government to leverage the institutional strengths of "one country, two systems" and support the city's young people in developing their talents on a broader stage.

He said Hong Kong's young people are bilingual in writing and trilingual in speech, have both Chinese and Western cultural roots, and possess strong professional skills and a global outlook, making them valuable assets to the country's global governance efforts.

Amid rapidly shifting global dynamics and rising unilateralism and protectionism, the UN needs more talent to address global challenges and advance emerging areas of governance, Cui said. Hong Kong, with strengths in finance, intellectual property, anti-corruption and meteorology, is well-positioned to make further contributions to global governance, he said.

The HKSAR government sent five and 12 young public officers to join the UN's JPO program in 2019 and 2023, respectively. Nearly half of them received requests from the UN to extend their tenures.

Leo Ng, an engineer with the Drainage Services Department and a member of the second batch of JPOs, said participation in UN activities can help international colleagues better understand Hong Kong's unique culture.

Senior Inspector of Police Danyl Wu, who will serve in the UN's drug control section in Vienna, said he hopes to gain a deeper understanding of multilateral cooperation frameworks and apply the knowledge to public administration and talent training in the HKSAR after returning.

"I hope to bring Hong Kong's international character, efficiency and professionalism to my work at the UN and to my daily life, so as to tell the stories of the nation and Hong Kong well," said Wu, who has served in the police for 11 years.

atlasshao@chinadailyhk.com