‘Chase your dreams’, Hong Kong’s first astronaut tells city’s young people
City leader congratulates Lai Ka-ying as I&T chief prepares to lead delegation to join send-off ceremony for Sunday’s Shenzhou-23 mission launch
Hong Kong’s first astronaut has encouraged the city’s young people to chase their dreams, declaring that “there must be a better tomorrow” if everyone works hard and bears the country in mind when pursuing one’s goals.
Payload specialist Lai Ka-ying, one of three astronauts on the Shenzhou-23’s mission to China’s Tiangong space station scheduled to launch on Sunday evening, told Hongkongers in a press conference on Saturday that she would “ga yau”, meaning to step up efforts in Cantonese.
“Thank you for everyone’s support and care. I will work hard. If we all put in effort, there must be a better tomorrow,” Lai said in Cantonese at the end of her response when asked if she had any words of encouragement for young Hongkongers.
Speaking mostly in Mandarin from the Wentian Pavilion in China’s Dongfeng Aerospace City in Gansu province, Lai expressed gratitude to the central and city governments, as well as to Hongkongers for the opportunity and support throughout her journey so far.
“At this moment, my heart is filled with gratitude and honour. I also feel the glory of the mission and its heavy responsibility,” the 43-year-old mother of three said.
Born and raised in Hong Kong, Lai holds a doctorate in computer science from the University of Hong Kong. She is a superintendent with the Hong Kong Police Force and served in the covert technical services division before being seconded to the Security Bureau.