Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Students Expand Networks at Beijing Camp

What changed

The 13th Beijing-Hong Kong Student Orientation and Exchange Camp concluded in Beijing on Sept. 13, bringing together more than 100 students from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. Of 203 applicants, 138 were selected; more than 80% were first-year students from 24 Beijing universities, including Peking University, Renmin University of China and Beijing Institute of Technology. Hong Kong students accounted for about 89% of participants, while Macao and Taiwan students each made up about 5%. 中新网

The event was organized by Beijing’s Haidian District Overseas Friendship Association, the Haidian District Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese and the Hong Kong Professionals (Beijing) Association, with support from several government and youth organizations. Organizers said the program, originally aimed at students from Beijing and Hong Kong, has expanded to include participants from all four areas.

Hong Kong freshman Zhou Lijing said she hoped to meet students from across China and learn more about Beijing. Macao freshman Liu Yuqing said roommates and older students helped ease her anxiety after leaving home to attend Communication University of China. 中新网

Why it matters

The camp is designed to turn the transition to university into an early cross-regional network. Haidian officials urged students to serve as links for further interaction, while the Hong Kong government’s Beijing office encouraged them to use Beijing’s cultural and technological resources, understand the country’s past and development plans, and connect their personal goals with national development. 中新网

Its longer-term value will depend on what follows the closing ceremony. Continued contact through coursework, internships and campus activities could make the relationships a practical source of information, support and opportunities. If engagement ends with the camp, its impact is more likely to remain symbolic than durable.

What to watch next

Watch whether the organizers sustain exchanges after the 2026 camp, particularly through internships, academic activities and further Beijing-based programs. The participation of first-year students also makes follow-through important: relationships formed early could shape how effectively students from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan integrate into university life and maintain cross-regional connections.