Carrie Lam, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), on Saturday called for efforts to "confidently promote patriotic education" in the city.

Speaking at a high-level forum on patriotic education in Hong Kong, Lam said it is natural to love one's own country, adding that betraying one's country is regarded as a very serious crime in all countries. 

"We need to work together to confidently promote patriotic education in Hong Kong, enhance the spirit of patriotism and re-establish young people's values," she said.

It was the first time that a large-scale summit with the theme of patriotic education was held in Hong Kong since its return to China in 1997, with more than 200 people taking part.

Lam said before and even after Hong Kong's return to China, the city had no systematic patriotic education and some young people had been misled.

Previously, national education had been stigmatized by people and media organizations with ulterior motives, which undermined students' sense of national identity and led to serious consequences, she said.

In recent years, Hong Kong has made national history a compulsory subject in junior secondary schools, she noted, adding that the city will replace Liberal Studies with Citizenship and Social Development in the next academic year to strengthen the study of Chinese culture, the Constitution and the HKSAR Basic Law, and cultivate patriotism among young people.

She urged the society to work together to nurture young people to contribute to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and ensure Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability.

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In a video speech, China's Vice Minister of Education Tian Xuejun said that to maintain Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability and ensure the steady and enduring development of "One Country, Two Systems," it is necessary to unswervingly carry out patriotic education.

Tian said that the Ministry of Education will fully support the HKSAR in carrying out patriotic education, expand and deepen educational cooperation between Hong Kong and the mainland, continue to support Hong Kong in participating in the development of national education, and help Hong Kong's youth to better achieve personal growth and success in the overall development of the country. 

Tan Tieniu, deputy director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR, said Hong Kong should confidently, comprehensively and systematically promote patriotism education.

The forum was jointly organized by the Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers, the Hong Kong Ta Kung Wen Wei Media Group and the Bauhinia Magazine, with the support of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR, the Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs Office of the Ministry of Education and the Education Bureau of the HKSAR government.

(With input from Xinhua)