The president of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is hoping that Hong Kong can step up efforts to entice more students from Belt and Road countries to study here, saying this would solidify links and set the territory up to reap real economic benefits down the line.

Professor Teng Jin-guang, who is part of the 70-strong Hong Kong delegation at the Belt and Road forum in Beijing, told RTHK his school has already been doing its part to link its students up with key partners in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

“We've been actually sending students to Belt and Road countries to do service learning, Kazakhstan, for example, Cambodia, Rwanda… We are going to provide a service to communities in need,” he told RTHK.

He highlighted one project where local students helped to install solar panels in Rwanda – where only approximately half the population are connected to the national energy grid.

Teng said bringing in more students from Belt and Road countries would have both short- and long-term benefits.

“If you attract the best talent from these countries to come to Hong Kong, study in Hong Kong, and some of them stay in Hong Kong to work, this not only fills a gap for us in talent shortage, but also they will be our very important links to these countries,” he said.

“Therefore, we will have more opportunities of developing our economy, business with these countries, and this will also allow us to take a greater part in the overall Belt and Road Initiative.”