HK youths embark on internship journey in Minhang

Sixty-four Hong Kong young people are experiencing Shanghai's dynamic environment through an initiative by the Minhang Chinese Overseas Friendship Association, featuring internships and cultural tours to enhance their understanding of China's economic and social development. Yang Yang reports.

Internship program continues Shanghai-Hong Kong exchange

The 2024 Hong Kong Youth Shanghai Internship Program began in Minhang District on June 11, starting a new chapter in learning and exchanges for the group of Hong Kong students in Shanghai.

The seven-week internships will introduce participants to the corporate culture of industrial leading enterprises such as the Luen Thai Group, Fung Group and Powerlong Group, in the hope they will hone their career skills. The project also plans to nurture the young people's attachment to the social and economic development of the Chinese mainland, and help connect more Hong Kong residents with Minhang and Shanghai as well.

"Through the internship program last year, Hong Kong youths adapted themselves to life in Chinese mainland and its corporate cultures, and they happily made progress," said Leung Yuk Wai, vice chairman of the Kowloon Federation of Associations.

"This year we hope that the new batch of students will not only acquire some workplace skills, but also experience the culture here, as well as the beats and steps of the economic and social march of our country."

Among the 64 youths from universities in Hong Kong, Mak Kwok Yin enrolled for the internship program for a second time.

"My position this year is still with the district's media center," Mak said. "Last year senior journalists from the Minhang Converged Media Center offered great help for me in video shooting and editing. I hope this year I can produce some good works from the skills I acquired last year."

Mak later visited the Fung Group as an intern reporter, and learned from its communication head the history of the industrial park as a juice factory three decades ago, where the company is headquartered.

The Fung Group, a century-old Hong Kong company founded in south Guangzhou City, set up its Chinese mainland headquarters in Minhang's Hongqiao Town in 2001, and its double headquarters in both Hong Kong and Shanghai in the past 23 years have empowered the company in high-tech development in its fashion consumption sector.

Mak also visited a Beforetime restaurant at Bailian Nanfang Shopping Mall in Minhang.

Beforetime, a time-honored catering brand from Hong Kong with a history of 26 years, is entrusting its new generation of successors to add appeal to more young consumers, such as launching its Yes Jue Jue casserole restaurants.

On July 1, the 27th anniversary since the transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong in 1997, the youth delegation witnessed a national flag rising ceremony at Pujiang Intelligence Valley, where a center was unveiled on the same day to offer exclusive internship services for youth from Hong Kong, Macau and overseas regions in Minhang.

Later on the day, the young people visited a musical instrument manufacturing company and took drama lessons at the Shanghai Theater Academy Lianhua Road campus in Minhang. They controlled puppets to stage shows and watched a Peking Opera performance.

Liu Yanjun: Similarities and differences

Cross-city communication yields fruitful results and between Shanghai and Hong Kong, that is even truer.

Shanghai has its Oriental Pearl TV Tower and as the most metropolitan city on the Chinese mainland, and is where people globally come to realize their hopes. Hong Kong is nicknamed the "Pearl of the Orient," and is admired by people around the world for its prosperity, modernity, culture and history.

The two cities resemble each other in their openness, diversity, vibe, and acceptance. People with different skin colors, cultural backgrounds, languages and visions gather in the two cities.

Their urban landscapes also have some similarities.

Huaihai Road in Shanghai resembles Nathan Road in Hong Kong; Daxing Street in Shanghai seems a counterpart of Yau Ma Tei in Hong Kong; the downtown Xujiahui area of Shanghai reminds one of Causeway Bay in Hong Kong; and the similarities between Xintiandi in Shanghai and Lan Kwai Fong in Hong Kong are noticeable.

Highly modernized, the two cities have still preserved their cultural heritage and relics, such as Shanghai's old villas, architecture on the Bund, Yuyuan Garden and its lighting festival, and paper-cutting and straw-weaving. Hong Kong has its Wong Tai Sin Temple, Tin Hau Temple, The Peak, Cheung Chau Bun Festival, Tin Hau Festival, Lion Dance and Fire Dragon Dance.

It's been seven years since I last visited the Bund in Shanghai, and I exclaimed to my friends upon the second visit, "The Bund and Victoria Harbor, how much they resemble each other!"

Hong Kong leaves a first impression to visitors as being historic. They learn from later experience that the city is both modern and ancient, with graffiti of poetry on walls, convenient passages for disabled people, and bell sounds giving signs for traffic lights for the visually-impaired.

This summer, I moved from Hong Kong to Shanghai and have been impressed by the latter's strong vibes of living, such as people social dancing in parks, children frolicking on their way home from school, pets walking past the road and historic architecture of the Bund illuminated under street lamps.

I have also found differences between the two cities. In Shanghai, people drive on the right side of the road and in Hong Kong, they are on the left. Shanghai has its plum rain season and Hong Kong has its humid season.

As students from Hong Kong starting our internships in the Chinese mainland this summer, we will witness our country's development and be ambassadors for cultural exchanges and friendship.

Feng Shanshan: Learning through doing

I am a food and nutrient major and therefore interested in the catering industry. After I applied for an internship at Luen Thai Group, I was assigned a related role and felt really happy.

Before I started on my first day, I was worried about what kind of person my boss would be, how the working environment would be, and whether I would adapt myself into it. Then I met my colleagues and my worries were dispelled.

My boss guided me through the guest reception hall and introduced me to the different functions of each room and my duties. We also discussed my goals for this internship.

She was worried that in a limited time, she might fail to pass all of her knowledge and skills to me. She learned and took notes of my requirements and promised she would try her best to help.

My boss delivered on her promise.

I had revealed to her that I wanted to be an entrepreneur and would like to learn good management. She was a good manager herself. Within weeks, she taught me how to balance and allocate resources, how to establish good relations with subordinates, and some inner management system operation skills.

I was also lucky to learn coffee latte art from my colleagues. I ground coffee beans and made milk foam. Throughout the process, my colleague kept encouraging me and I finally developed a continued interest in latte art.

After work, I visited Qibao Old Street and the 79 Creative Park in Zhuanqiao Town. I had a chance to visit the perfume brand BOITOWN, developed by a French-Chinese fragrance evaluator, and felt impressed by its multiple choices, fashionable package design, and carefully mixed fragrances.

During the internship, I tried new things and was lucky to have a very responsible boss and a group of kind-hearted colleagues.

In the following days, I will learn more useful knowledge and enjoy the cultural vibe of Minhang.

Du Ruiying: Growth, learning, and understanding

Shanghai and Hong Kong are two of the most developed cities in China, and like two energetic young men who are always aspiring and never feel tired. The two cities boast their busy commercial streets, towering office buildings, and fast and efficient traffic systems.

During my internship at Information 2 Software, I was impressed by the vigor and innovative spirit of Shanghai as an economic center in China. My colleagues were kind and helpful. Their professionalism and hard work left a deep impression on me.

Some of my job descriptions were fields I did not know, such as multi-strategic product matrices and i2Active database management software. I studied many research materials to prepare myself better for my role.

When I was walking quickly on the busy street, I kept reminding myself, "I am here to broaden my horizon."

During my weekends, I occasionally took a leisurely walk on the streets of Shanghai, enjoying the scenery and eating snacks. Several days ago, I visited Xinzhuang Park and was impressed by its pavilions, corridors, and lakes.

As my internship approaches its end, I will value my time in Minhang. It is not only about work, but also about growth, learning, and understanding.