Students watch a video before Sun Zezhou, chief designer of China’s Tianwen 1 Mars probe, gives a lecture at Diocesan Boys' School on June 25, 2021.
(EDMOND TANG / CHINA DAILY)
Hong Kong communities welcomed the nation’s unprecedented
move to include the special administrative region’s professionals in
the selection of payload specialists
among the fourth batch of astronauts.
The pick of talents will start
from Thursday.
In a government statement on
Sunday, Chief Executive John Lee
Ka-chiu said the move reflected the
nation’s confidence in Hong Kong’s
scientific research ability, as well as
its care for Hong Kong youngsters’
development.
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It enables more Hong Kong professionals to contribute to the
country’s scientific development,
and the SAR government will
make every effort to assist and
cooperate with the selection process, Lee said.
In recent years, Hong Kong’s space industry has seen rapid development, whether in terms of the establishment of local enterprises and groups, the launching of commercial satellites, the participation of national missions, government support in research work, or university education in this field, said Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry Sun Dong
He also encouraged all Hong
Kong students and local communities to take this opportunity to better understand the nation’s fruitful
achievements on manned space
programs and to enhance their
national awareness and identity.
According to the official website
of the China Manned Space Agency,
payload specialists are responsible
for performing scientific research
and experiments on space stations
or space shuttles.
Briefing media outlets on Sunday
night, Deputy Financial Secretary
Michael Wong Wai-lun, Secretary
for Innovation, Technology and
Industry Sun Dong and other government officials unveiled the
details of the selection process.
The initial selection of Hong
Kong payload specialists will run
from Oct 6 to 27.
The candidates
will be selected mainly from 11 local
universities, five government
research centers and the Hong
Kong Productivity Council, science
institutions and enterprises at the
Cyberport and Science Park, government departments and the Hospital Authority.
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The government said it would
consider experts from other organizations and enterprises who apply
to the scheme on a case-by-case
basis. After initial selection by the
HKSAR government, subsequent
screening will be undertaken by the
relevant mainland authorities.
The posts are only available to
Hong Kong permanent residents
with Chinese nationality.
The specialists who are finally selected will
receive training offered by the
country and can receive allowances
during the process.
All candidates must be aged
between 30 and 45 years old, with a
doctorate in a relevant field and at
least 3 years of professional experience.
Sun, who has undertaken the initial selection work, said aerospace
development is no longer just a
dream for Hong Kong people but
an important industry for Hong
Kong’s reindustrialization.
In recent years, Hong Kong’s
space industry has seen rapid
development, whether in terms
of the establishment of local
enterprises and groups, the
launching of commercial satellites, the participation of national
missions, government support in
research work, or university education in this field, Sun said.
The city established its first
commercial space enterprise
Hong Kong Aerospace Technology Group in 2019 and launched its
first two commercial satellites in
2021.
Sun said he hopes the space
industry development will fuel
the city’s overall scientific and
economic development, and propel Hong Kong to be a leading science hub in the Guangdong–
Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay
Area and even around the globe.
The officials said the government will further boost local residents’ understanding of the
nation’s aerospace development
and the city’s participation in
national space missions through
various TV programs, exhibitions
and seminars.
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Hong Kong legislator Wong
Kwok noted that as the International Space Station is expected to
be decommissioned in several
years, various countries are hoping to join China’s space station
program. Against such a background, he said, allowing Hong
Kong specialists to join the
nation’s astronauts is a great honor for the city and will significantly boost the city’s inno-tech
development.
Wong Yuk-shan, chairman of
the Research Grants Council,
praised Hong Kong’s science
research ability, noting some of its
researchers have taken the lead
on global issues. He called on the
city’s scientists to seize the chance
to contribute to the nation with
their strengths.
In an earlier interview with
Wen Wei Po, the chief designer of
China’s manned space project
astronaut system Huang Weifen
said China’s astronaut training
has completed setting its standards, whether in terms of professional astronauts, engineers or
payload specialists, which means
the technical preparation for
selecting astronauts in Hong
Kong is finished. “We will certainly welcome it if Hong Kong compatriots want to become national
astronauts.”
Contact the writers at
bingcun@chinadailyhk.com