Hong Kong leader marks Sun Yat-sen’s 160th birthday, touts patriotism education
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee addressed a symposium on 14 October 2026 to commemorate the 160th birth anniversary of Dr Sun Yat-sen. Lee highlighted Sun’s ties to Hong Kong and outlined government plans to deepen patriotic education under the city’s first five-year plan.
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee on 14 October 2026 addressed a symposium marking the 160th birth anniversary of Dr Sun Yat-sen, praising the revolutionary as a “great national hero, great patriot and great pioneer of China’s democratic revolution”. Lee spoke at the event organised by the China Council for the Promotion of Peaceful National Reunification (Hong Kong).
Lee recalled Sun’s time in Hong Kong, where he studied at Diocesan Boys’ School, Central School and the Hong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese, the predecessor of the University of Hong Kong’s medical faculty. Sun graduated in 1892 and later described Hong Kong as the “birthplace of my revolutionary ideas”. Lee noted that Sun founded the Hong Kong branch of the Xingzhonghui (Revive China Society) in Central in 1895 and used the city as a base for uprisings in Guangzhou and Huizhou, as well as for overseas fundraising after forming the Tongmenghui in Tokyo in 1905.
The chief executive said the Hong Kong government places high priority on patriotic education and is promoting values centred on love for the country and the city, in line with the “one country, two systems” principle. He said the “Patriotic Education Task Force”, established more than two years ago, has been coordinating government and non-government efforts to strengthen national history and civic education.
Lee cited the territory’s first five-year plan, released last month, which calls for deepening patriotic, national, national-security and values education. It aims to nurture a younger generation that is “virtuous and talented, loves the country and Hong Kong, has cultural confidence, correct values and a global perspective”.
In his 2026 policy address, Lee proposed expanding the Constitution and Basic Law student ambassador programme to all government-subsidised primary and secondary schools, and organising exchange and internship activities for young people to experience national development first-hand. With central government support, the Yan’an Revolution Memorial Hall in Shaanxi province will become the second mainland patriotic education base for Hong Kong youth. The government will also set up a new museum showcasing the nation’s rapid development, continue supporting hometown associations and produce high-quality programmes under the Chinese Culture Festival to “tell China’s story well”.
Lee urged the audience to learn from Sun’s patriotism and determination to rejuvenate China, turning love for the country and Hong Kong into concrete actions to contribute to national rejuvenation through Chinese-style modernisation. He thanked the China Council for the Promotion of Peaceful National Reunification (Hong Kong) for organising the event.
