A high-level delegation from Laos joined the inaugural Youth Development Summit in Hong Kong (August 10), less than two weeks after John Lee, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), visited Laos and spoke to students at a secondary school in the capital Vientiane. These exchanges indicate the strengthening of academic ties between Hong Kong and Laos.

Kingmano Phommahaxay, Deputy Minister of Education and Sports and the Vice President of Lao National Olympic Committee, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, speaks at the Youth Development Summit in Hong Kong on August 10.

Speaking at the Summit, Kingmano Phommahaxay, Deputy Minister of Education and Sports and the Vice President of Lao National Olympic Committee, Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR), said "I am pleased to highlight a significant milestone in our educational cooperation with Hong Kong, specifically the partnership between Vientiane Secondary School (VSS) and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU)." VSS and PolyU exchanged a Memorandum of Understanding establishing a framework for collaboration in international student recruitment through the provision of scholarships opportunity to outstanding Lao students.

John Lee, Chief Executive of the HKSAR (first left) and Saleumxay Kommasith, Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs (first right), witness the signing of MoU between PolyU and VSS on July 29.

During his visit to Vientiane Secondary School, Mr Lee said, "I can assure you that Hong Kong is a city full of opportunities of every kind, for your careers and for your life."

Mr Lee informed students that Hong Kong is the only Asian city with as many as five universities among the top 100 in the world.

"To welcome more outstanding talent from Laos, we have already relaxed the visa policy for Laotian talent to work in Hong Kong, or study in our publicly funded universities," Mr Lee said. "And once you've graduated from a Hong Kong university, you are eligible to stay in Hong Kong, work in Hong Kong, or simply enjoy life in Hong Kong, for up to 24 months, under our Immigration Arrangement for Non-local Graduates."

Mr Phommahaxay added that the scholarship scheme and the signing of the MoU represents "a significant step towards fostering educational excellence and mutual development of our youth who will undoubtedly play an important role in promoting people to people exchange between the Lao PDR and Hong Kong".

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