On June 23, Shanghai Jiao Tong University held a ceremony at the School of International and Public Affairs on the Xuhui campus to confer an honorary doctorate to Mrs. Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, the fifth Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
Dr. Lam Siu-por, Mrs. Lam's husband, attended the ceremony, along with Yang Yongman, a director of Shanghai Jiao Tong University and chairman of Hop Wo Trading Company Limited, Cao Qidong, chairman of Ningbo Yongxin Optics Co., Ltd., and his wife Cao Yuan Liping, Yao Zonghui, a member of the 14th National People's Congress and chairman of the board of trustees of Lingnan University, Qiu Haibin, president of the Hong Kong Zhoushan Association, and friends of Mrs. Lam. Shanghai Jiao Tong University President and CAS academician Ding Kuiling, Deputy Party Secretary and Discipline Inspection Commission Secretary Zhou Cheng, Vice President Zhang Zhaoguo, Party Committee Standing Committee Member and Head of the Publicity Department Hu Hao, Party Committee Standing Committee Member and Head of the United Front Work Department Wang Houji, as well as officials from the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of Shanghai and representatives from various departments of the university and the School of International and Public Affairs faculty and students, also attended the event. The ceremony was hosted by Zhang Zhaoguo.
In his speech, Ding Kuiling highly praised Mrs. Carrie Lam's contributions. He noted that she has faced challenges in various positions and made significant contributions to maintaining national sovereignty, security, development interests, and the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong. She has also visited Shanghai Jiao Tong University multiple times, providing strong support for exchanges and cooperation between the university and various sectors in Hong Kong. Ding emphasized that awarding Mrs. Lam an honorary doctorate recognizes her personal achievements and serves as an inspiration for the university's faculty and students to strive forward, making contributions to national strength and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Zhou Cheng read the commendation for Mrs. Carrie Lam. He highlighted her achievements, noting that she graduated with a Bachelor of Social Sciences degree from the University of Hong Kong in 1980 and then joined the Hong Kong government, starting a public service career spanning over 40 years in various important roles. She became the fifth Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in 2017. Zhang Zhaoguo then read the notification from the Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council approving the honorary doctorate for Mrs. Lam.
Ding Kuiling conferred the honorary doctorate on Mrs. Lam by adjusting her tassel and presenting the certificate.
In her speech, Mrs. Lam expressed her deep honor at receiving the honorary doctorate from Shanghai Jiao Tong University and thanked the university for its kindness. She remarked that this achievement is not only personal but also signifies the close and fruitful exchanges between Shanghai and Hong Kong, as well as between the educational sectors of both regions. She expressed hope for broader cooperation between Shanghai and Hong Kong and deeper exchanges between universities, aiming for collaborative progress in more fields for the country's development and people's welfare. She also extended special thanks to her family for their continuous support.
Following the ceremony, Mrs. Lam delivered a compelling lecture to the students titled "The Political System and Public Administration of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region under 'One Country, Two Systems'". She vividly recounted Hong Kong's development, introduced the constitutional order and political system of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and discussed the implementation of 'One Country, Two Systems' based on her experiences. She emphasized that, with the joint efforts of the central government, the Hong Kong SAR government, and all sectors of society, 'One Country, Two Systems' has been successfully implemented in Hong Kong over the past 27 years. Significant achievements have been made in safeguarding national security, improving the electoral system, implementing the principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong", and integrating into the national development strategy. She expressed confidence that 'One Country, Two Systems' will continue to progress steadily and that Hong Kong will achieve greater prosperity and development.
After the lecture, Mrs. Lam took a group photo with the guests and students, warmly inviting everyone to experience the beautiful city of Hong Kong.