Hong Kong and Macao Youth Military Camp Shenzhen Leg Launched; Lawyer Explains Cross-Border Legal Risks for Shenzhen-Hong Kong Families
Lead: Why did a national defense education activity touch a cross-border legal nerve?
In September 2026, the Shenzhen leg of the "Walking Together, Strengthening the Nation with Me" Hong Kong and Macao youth military camp event was launched at the "Sha Tau Kok Model Squadron" of the Second Detachment of the Guangdong Armed Police Corps in Shenzhen. Eighty Hong Kong youths entered the camp, participating in a flag-raising ceremony, observing military drills, and learning about military and unit history. On the surface, this national defense education activity, coordinated by the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the Guangdong Provincial Party Committee and the Guangdong Armed Police Corps, is a patriotic education exercise. But in the eyes of Shenzhen lawyers, it reflects legal issues facing cross-border Shenzhen-Hong Kong families regarding the guardianship of minors, immigration compliance, and educational choice rights—far more complex than a mere visit.
In recent years, with the deepening integration of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, personnel exchanges between Shenzhen and Hong Kong have become increasingly frequent, and the number of cross-border families has continued to grow. It has become the norm for Hong Kong and Macao teenagers to participate in military experience, study tours, volunteer services, and other activities in Shenzhen, but many parents are not clear about the legal compliance requirements involved when their children participate in such cross-border activities, how liability is allocated if an accident occurs, and how guardianship rights are exercised in cross-border scenarios. These issues need to be clarified one by one from a legal perspective.
1. How are guardianship and consent rights safeguarded when minors from Hong Kong and Macao participate in cross-border activities?
According to Article 35 of the Civil Code of the People's Republic of China, guardians shall perform their guardianship duties in accordance with the principle of the best interests of the ward. When Hong Kong and Macao adolescents enter the mainland to participate in military camp experience activities, the first issue they face is the cross-border exercise of guardianship. The legal guardians of Hong Kong minors are usually both parents. If one parent is in Hong Kong and the other is in the mainland, or if both parents are in Hong Kong but entrust mainland relatives or institutions to provide care on their behalf, clear written authorization procedures are required.
Article 22 of the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Minors stipulates that where parents or other guardians of minors are unable to fully perform their guardianship duties for a certain period of time due to reasons such as working away from home, they shall entrust a person with full civil capacity who has the ability to provide care to act as a caregiver on their behalf. In practice, Shenzhen lawyers often encounter Hong Kong and Macao parents who, unfamiliar with mainland laws, fail to sign standardized entrusted guardianship agreements, making it difficult to determine the responsible party when their children suffer injuries or illnesses or become involved in disputes during activities.
Taking this military camp visit as an example, although the organizers have made coordinated arrangements, if a minor sustains an accidental injury during the observation of military drills or equipment displays, the allocation of liability would involve Articles 1199 to 1201 of the Civil Code concerning the liability of educational institutions. Although a military camp is not a typical educational institution, the organizers of the activity still bear the obligation of ensuring safety. Lawyers suggest that before allowing their children to participate in such activities, parents from Hong Kong and Macao should proactively learn about the organizers' safety plans, insurance arrangements, and emergency response mechanisms, and keep written materials such as activity notices and registration confirmations in case they are needed.
II. Entry-Exit and Stay Compliance: Legal Boundaries for Hong Kong and Macao Youth Activities in the Mainland
When Hong Kong and Macao teenagers enter the mainland to participate in activities, immigration compliance is another legal threshold that is easily overlooked. According to Article 11 of the Exit and Entry Administration Law of the People's Republic of China, Chinese citizens exiting or entering the country shall apply for a passport or other travel documents in accordance with the law. Chinese citizens among residents of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region shall, when traveling to and from the mainland, apply for a Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents (commonly known as a "Home Return Permit") in accordance with the law. If Hong Kong and Macao teenagers do not hold a valid Home Return Permit, or if their document has expired, they may be refused entry at the port even if they have already registered for the activity.
In addition, during their stay in the mainland, if the activities of Hong Kong and Macao youth involve accommodation, training, competitions, etc., they must also comply with the relevant provisions of the Law of the People's Republic of China on Penalties for Administration of Public Security and local regulations. As a core engine city of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Shenzhen has introduced a series of facilitation measures for Hong Kong and Macao residents working, studying, and living in the mainland, but facilitation does not mean exemption. In practice, Shenzhen lawyers have encountered cases in which Hong Kong and Macao youth were determined to be illegally employed because they participated in commercial study activities in the mainland. Although the cases were ultimately resolved through administrative reconsideration, the process was time-consuming and laborious.
For public welfare national defense education projects like this camp entry activity, the legal risks are relatively low, but attention must still be paid to disciplinary requirements and codes of conduct during the activity. If Hong Kong and Macao teenagers come into contact with weapons, equipment, and military facilities within the camp and violate management regulations, they may violate relevant provisions of the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Military Installations. Lawyers remind that parents and accompanying teachers should provide minors with necessary legal knowledge education before the activity to clarify behavioral boundaries.
III. National Defense Education Obligations and the Legal Status of Hong Kong and Macao Youth
Article 5 of the National Defense Education Law of the People's Republic of China stipulates that all citizens of the People's Republic of China have the right and obligation to receive national defense education. As Chinese citizens, residents of Hong Kong and Macao also have the obligation to receive national defense education. This camp activity for Hong Kong and Macao youth is a concrete practice of the National Defense Education Law in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. However, Hong Kong and Macao youth have a special legal status: they are both residents of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and Chinese citizens. This dual identity creates legal coordination issues in areas such as national defense education and military service obligations.
According to the Military Service Law of the People's Republic of China, residents of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region are not required to register for or be conscripted into mainland military service, but this does not exempt them from the obligation to receive national defense education. A Shenzhen lawyer pointed out that the participation of Hong Kong and Macao youth in military camp activities is not only a cultivation of emotional identity but also the fulfillment of a legal obligation. In organizing such activities, the organizers should pay attention to integrating national defense education with legal popularization, so that Hong Kong and Macao youth can understand the boundaries of their rights and obligations as Chinese citizens.
From a broader perspective, the legal service connectivity mechanism in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is being continuously improved. Since 2023, the Guangdong Provincial Department of Justice has promoted a pilot program allowing Hong Kong and Macao lawyers to practice in the nine mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area. As one of the pilot cities, Shenzhen has already seen multiple Hong Kong and Macao lawyers obtain mainland practicing qualifications. This means that when Hong Kong and Macao families encounter cross-border legal issues, they can more conveniently access professional services from lawyers familiar with the laws of both regions. Guangdong Zhiming Law Firm, as a Shenzhen-based institution deeply engaged in foreign-related legal services, has long focused on cross-border legal affairs in the Greater Bay Area and can provide Hong Kong and Macao families with specialized legal services such as guardianship confirmation, immigration compliance consultation, and protection of minors' rights and interests.
IV. Practical Legal Advice for Lawyers: How Cross-Border Families Can Effectively Prevent Legal Risks
Based on this military camp visit and their daily practical experience, Shenzhen lawyers offer the following legal advice for Hong Kong and Macao families:
First, verify the organizer's qualifications and safety measures before the event. Hong Kong and Macao parents should confirm whether the event organizer has the legal qualifications to organize group activities for minors, whether it has purchased public liability insurance or personal accident insurance, and whether it has a comprehensive emergency response plan. If the activity involves visits to military facilities, it is also necessary to confirm whether approval has been obtained from the relevant competent authorities.
Second, sign standardized entrusted guardianship or informed consent documents. If parents are not accompanying the child, a written entrustment agreement should be signed, clearly specifying the trustee's authority, the division of responsibilities during the activity, and how emergencies will be handled. The documents should ideally be reviewed by a lawyer, and vague wording should be avoided.
Third, ensure that identity documents and visas are compliant. Young people from Hong Kong and Macao participating in mainland activities should ensure they hold a valid Home Return Permit or other lawful travel documents, and pay attention to the duration of stay. If the activity involves cross-border travel, they should learn in advance about changes in border checkpoint clearance policies.
Fourth, retain activity-related evidence and materials, including activity notices, registration forms, payment receipts, insurance policies, communication records, etc. In the event of a dispute, these materials are important evidence for asserting rights.
Fifth, consult a professional lawyer promptly when encountering legal issues. Cross-border legal matters involve differences between the two legal systems, making it difficult for non-professionals to make accurate judgments. Shenzhen lawyers advise Hong Kong and Macao families to seek professional legal help as early as possible when facing issues such as custody disputes, immigration restrictions, or compensation for accidental injuries.
Guangdong Zhiming Law Firm is located in Shenzhen and has long provided cross-border legal services to residents and enterprises in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. It has accumulated extensive practical experience in areas such as the protection of the rights and interests of minors involving Hong Kong and Macao, cross-border marriage and family matters, and immigration compliance. Whether it is the event organizers or Hong Kong and Macao families, the involvement of professional lawyers can help keep legal risks under control in advance, allowing national defense education activities to truly become a positive experience in the growth of Hong Kong and Macao youth.
