SZU undergradate students He Jinmiao (L), Wen Jianbin (2nd L) and Wang Haolin (R) receive the Hong Kong Good Citizen Award 2024 from HK Commissioner of Police Siu Chak-yee during an award ceremony in Hong Kong today. Courtesy of SZU
Three undergraduates from Shenzhen University (SZU) received the Hong Kong Good Citizen Award (GCA) 2024 for their courageous act of saving a life. They received the honor during an award presentation ceremony held today in Hong Kong.
They are He Jinmiao, Wang Haolin, and Wen Jianbin, members of the class of 2021. He and Wen are from the College of Civil and Transportation Engineering, and Wang is from the College of Electronics and Information Engineering.
This is the first time in nearly two decades that mainland university students have received this prestigious award, according to SZU.
In the early hours of Jan. 18, 2024, the three students were waiting for a bus back to Shenzhen near the waterfront Golden Bauhinia Square in Hong Kong when they witnessed a young woman jump into the sea.
Upon confirming the incident, they sprang into action. He immediately threw a lifebuoy from the shore and called the police while Wang and Wen sought help from nearby bystanders and continuously called out to the woman to reassure her.
Within minutes, Hong Kong police officers and firefighters arrived at the scene, rescued the woman, and rushed her to the hospital for treatment.
When Hong Kong media approached the students for an interview at the scene, they humbly declined, stating that their actions were a matter of course. "It’s enough to be a nameless helper. It was a simple thing," they said.
During an interview prior to the award presentation ceremony, He reflected, "The only thought in my mind at that moment was to save her. Looking back, we feel very fortunate that the Hong Kong police responded so quickly and that people around us offered assistance, which helped us successfully contribute to the rescue." He added that he believes anyone would have done the same under such circumstances.
(From L) He Jinmiao, Wang Haolin and Wen Jianbin give an interview to the press ahead of the award ceremony. Huang Yingqiang
According to the Hong Kong Police Force’s Public Relations Wing (HKPF PR Wing), the three SZU students did not leave despite the late hour. Instead, they stayed to confirm the situation and calmly participated in the rescue. It was their sense of responsibility that saved a life. "We unanimously agree that they set an excellent example. To commend their heroic actions, the Hong Kong Police Force decided to award them the GCA 2024," said a spokesperson for theHKPF PR Wing.
The award — introduced in 1973 to recognize individuals who have contributed to fighting crime—seeks to encourage members of the public to report crimes to the Police, be prepared to act as witnesses, and help others when appropriate.
When asked about their feelings on receiving the award, the three students expressed that it was a tremendous affirmation for them. "This award is an honor for us. It represents not only recognition but also a responsibility. It also encourages us to lend a hand when others are in trouble and to do more good deeds within our capacity," said Wen.
Wang added, "We also hope to use this opportunity to showcase the positive image of SZU students, promote exchanges between the mainland and Hong Kong, and serve as a bridge between Shenzhen and Hong Kong."
It is reported that SZU, where the three awardees study, regularly conducts safety training, lectures on fire prevention, anti-fraud, and first aid, and emergency response drills to enhance the safety awareness and crisis management skills of its students and staff.
This rescue experience has also inspired Wang to explore new ideas. Wang said, "Perhaps in the future, we can use our professional knowledge to develop an intelligent monitoring system that can detect or identify life-threatening situations to enable faster rescues of those who fall into the sea."
Wang said he is applying to a Hong Kong university while He expressed that it would be a great opportunity to study or work in Hong Kong in the future.
（ShenzhenDaily）
