Behind the scenes of CUHK flag-raising ceremonies
First runners-up in citywide contest tell Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs about their interest
30 April 2025
The square next to the University Library is a display of uniformed discipline whenever a special day rolls around. Flags of the country, Hong Kong SAR and CUHK are hoisted at the start of every academic year, and on 1 July HKSAR Establishment Day and 1 October National Day. In April, four members of the CUHK student flag-guard team won second place in a competition held by the Hong Kong Army Cadets Association. The winners later met visiting Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice Mak Mei-kuen and shared with her their stories behind taking up this important role.
CUHK established its own flag-guard team in 2023 so students could receive the association’s training and take part in the University’s flag-raising ceremonies. Over the past two years, the team has participated in eight flag-raising events. It now has 21 members, and more than 10 new student recruits who will also undergo training and assessment.
In the association’s 6 April flag-raising competition, CUHK came second among 14 teams in the open category. The excellent performance was delivered by Scarlet Cheung Yuk-yan (Year 1, Chinese Medicine), Betty Li Yi-yan (Year 2, Professional Accountancy), Sandy Luk Man-ting (Year 1, Integrated Bachelor of Business Administration) and Grace Yan Yihang (Year 1, Master of Applied Linguistics).
Of the four members, Grace was the only participant from mainland China. She recalled that her secondary school also had a flag-raising team, but the height requirement of 1.65 metres for girls ruled her out. She was happy to fulfill her dream at CUHK. “I am grateful to the instructors for their patience, even when our marching was not perfect,” she said.
The other three were born and raised in Hong Kong. Like Grace, Scarlet’s interest in the ceremonial skill was piqued in secondary school. When the association launched Chinese-style flag-raising training, she signed up, and went on to become a founding member of her school team. “With continuous training and deeper understanding, my passion for this activity has grown even more,” she said.
In contrast, Betty started learning Chinese-style marching only after she joined CUHK, and found the activity challenging. “To prepare for this competition, we had intensive training on many nights to improve our skills. My teammates have definitely witnessed my progress!” she said with a laugh, believing that team spirit could motivate her to do better.
As for Sandy, she aspired to join the disciplined services and saw CUHK’s training as laying a solid foundation for her in marching and flag-raising. She explained each role: “I am the flag bearer, Scarlet and Betty are the assistant flag bearers, responsible for raising and tying the flag respectively, while Grace oversees what we do and provides suggestions.”
On the day of the competition, the team practised relentlessly despite the rain. “The instructor advised us to train indoors, but we felt that outdoor practice was more effective. I am proud that the team persisted in doing a good job even though we were soaked,” said Scarlet. Despite initial doubts and some members falling ill after the competition, they were thrilled that their hard work had paid off.
All four girls believed that the flag-guard team had not only helped them master basic skills in hoisting the flag, but also fostered a sense of belonging to CUHK and the country and created valuable friendships. They deepened their understanding of one another and made friends from other universities during the competition. They were also grateful to the Office of Student Affairs and the Security Office for supporting them in their practice on campus.
Youth affairs secretary Mak, herself a CUHK alumnus, visited CUHK on 15 April National Security Education Day to commend the winners. She was welcomed by CUHK Vice-President (Administration) Kenneth Chen Wei-on, University Dean of Students Professor Ko Wing-hung, Director of Student Affairs Elaine Tam Yi-lam, Director of Communications and Public Relations Lavender Cheung Wang-yim and Director of Security and Transport Simon Lee Wing-kong, and mingled with members and prospective members of the flag-guard team.
Professor Ko told Mak: “The flag-guard team provides an important platform for students to enhance their understanding of the country and reflect on social responsibilities.” Members then introduced to her the history and development of the team, as well as their achievements in the recent competition.
They also shared their experiences of joining the team, noting that training in flag-raising, marching and other activities had strengthened their national identity. Lincoln Cheung Ho-wai, one of the team members, said he had participated in exchange programmes, visiting Inner Mongolia, Tibet and Xinjiang. “We are grateful for these opportunities to broaden our horizons and deepen our understanding of the country.”
Mak took the opportunity to introduce a series of initiatives organised by the Hong Kong government for young people, including the Youth Link network, and encouraged them to register. She emphasised that the youth were a vital force in safeguarding national sovereignty and maintaining Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability. She expressed hopes that more students would join the flag-guard team, contributing to Hong Kong and the country.
By Eva Choy
Photos by Steven Yan
