From August 18 to 21, the delegation of the China Welfare Institute (CWI), visiting Hong Kong to participate in the commemorative event “Tracing Origins to Remember History, Striving to Create the Future - Soong Ching Ling and the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War,” conducted a series of thematic exchange activities on thematic publicity, institutional promotion, and business cooperation in Hong Kong. The delegation engaged in in-depth exchanges with relevant Hong Kong institutions in publishing and culture, healthcare and elderly care, and education. Building on the CWI’s traditional strength in “people-to-people diplomacy,” the activities aimed to jointly commemorate the 80^th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, explore ways to advance deeper cooperation with Hong Kong, and leverage complementary strengths for mutual development.

Exchange in Publishing & Culture

On August 19, Wang Yufeng, Member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy Secretary-General of the CWI, led the publishing and culture mission on a friendly visit to Sino United Publishing (SUP). The mission held in-depth professional discussions with Zhao Dongxiao, Editor-in-Chief of SUP, among others. Both sides engaged extensively on several core issues, with a focus on exploring diverse approaches - such as book reading, cultural study programs, and artistic exhibitions - to build bridges of mutual understanding and friendship between the youth of Shanghai and Hong Kong. Regarding copyright cooperation, they exchanged views on specific areas including mutual licensing of quality book copyrights, joint development of digital publications, and cross-platform promotion of original content, with the aim of exploring long-term cooperation mechanisms to facilitate the cross-regional dissemination of high-quality cultural achievements. In addition, concerning the development of new formats in the cultural sector, both sides shared insights on building online reading ecosystems and operating cultural IPs, laying a solid foundation for future collaboration.

During their stay in Hong Kong, the mission also visited the Feng Zikai Chinese Children’s Picture Book Award office and conducted tours of cultural venues including the Hong Kong Museum of the War of Resistance and Coastal Defence, the Hong Kong Fringe Club, Tai Kwun, and the Hong Kong Palace Museum. These activities facilitated cultural exchange and cooperation by evoking shared historical memories.

Exchange in Healthcare & Elderly Care

The healthcare and elderly care mission visited the following institutions: TWGHs Jockey Club Sunshine Complex for the Elderly, Yan Chai Hospital, and Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine. Tung Wah Group of Hospitals (TWGHs), one of Hong Kong’s long-standing charitable organizations, operates over 390 service units spanning healthcare, elderly care, youth services, and other areas. The mission received an introduction to TWGHs and the Sunshine Complex for the Elderly, and toured facilities within the complex, including the Harmony Villa, Blissful Villa, Rooftop Garden, and Active Life Centre. Yan Chai Hospital, a renowned statutory charitable organization in Hong Kong, delivers services in areas like Chinese and Western medical care, education, social welfare, and charitable foundations, with significant exploration in elderly health management and social services. The mission visited Yan Chai Hospital’s Health Management Centre for the Seniors, Neighbourhood Elderly Centre, Care and Attention Home for the Elderly, and District Health Centre, gaining a concrete and comprehensive understanding of Hong Kong’s health management practices and its stratified elderly support initiatives. The two sides also exchanged experiences and mature approaches in social security areas such as medical and elderly care services, agreeing to further strengthen targeted exchanges and mutual visits in the future.

Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, as one of Hong Kong’s oldest and most internationally renowned medical education and research institutions, has already established cooperation with the International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital of China Welfare Institute in the field of obstetrics and gynecology. The two sides engaged in enthusiastic discussions on innovative explorations and clinical practices in maternal and child health, and explored potential areas for further collaboration. The mission also visited the Centre for Comparative Medicine Research, where the highly equipped and intelligent animal experiment center left a deep impression. Through in-depth exchanges and learning from Hong Kong’s successful experiences, the healthcare and elderly care mission found that the visit not only enhanced mutual understanding between Shanghai and Hong Kong in the field of medical and elderly services but also injected new momentum into promoting the high-quality development of Soong Ching Ling’s legacy in maternal and child health as well as elderly welfare initiatives.

Exchange in Education

The CWI education mission, composed of representatives from the China Welfare Institute Kindergarten, China Welfare Institute Nursery, Soong Ching Ling Kindergarten, and Shanghai Soong Ching Ling School, and led by Zhang Xiaomin, Member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and Vice President of the CWI, visited cultural sites including Tai Kwun, the Hong Kong Museum of the War of Resistance and Coastal Defence, and the Hong Kong Fringe Club.

Tai Kwun, as a significant historical architectural complex and arts and cultural venue in Hong Kong, showcases the city’s unique historical context and cultural heritage. The mission gained insights into the evolution of Hong Kong’s judicial system by visiting historical sites such as the prison yard, courtrooms, and barracks, while experiencing the dynamic convergence of Eastern and Western cultures through contemporary art exhibitions. This visit not only deepened the mission’s understanding of Hong Kong’s social development but also highlighted the importance of preserving cultural heritage and innovatively repurposing it. The Hong Kong Museum of the War of Resistance and Coastal Defence, structured around the history of Hong Kong’s coastal defense, vividly presents the city’s military defense systems and wartime experiences from the Ming and Qing dynasties to the Second World War through extensive physical exhibits, historical documents, and multimedia displays. Members of the mission found the visit both an educational journey into history and culture and a profound spiritual and intellectual inspiration.

The education mission will take this visit as an opportunity to further promote the spirit of patriotism, pass on the “red gene,” and guide teachers and students to remember history, cherish peace, and shape the future, contributing to the realization of the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation.

During their stay in Hong Kong, the CWI delegation also visited Shanghai Industrial Investment (Holdings) Co., Ltd. for an exchange seminar. Both sides reached broad consensus on enhancing mutual visits and exchanges, actively exploring cooperation opportunities in areas such as healthcare and elderly care, educational philanthropy, and technological innovation, with the aim of jointly advancing initiatives for people’s livelihoods and social development.