Associate Professor Terence Chong Tai-leung formally apologized on Facebook after his deliver at a New Asia College biweekly assembly that drew widespread criticism for reinforcing gender stereotypes.
The Incident
On 22 September, Chong, the associate head of New Asia College of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, spoke at the college’s biweekly assembly on the theme of “How to Invest in Life.” Students who attended later posted Chong’s slides and descriptions of the talk on Threads. They said that Chong advised women not to pursue PhDs as “a woman’s youth is precious”, and told the audience that a high GPA was of a little use to women as they would ultimately end up with “marrying rich” or “fishing for a golden turtle” (a slang term in Hong Kong meaning marrying someone wealthy), framing partner choice under an economic scope in terms of costs and benefits.
The college’s biweekly assembly is compulsory. All full-time New Asia College undergraduates must attend three events each semester, including at least one biweekly assembly. If students fail to meet the requirements, they will receive a failing grade for the compulsory college general education course GENA 1000/1000A.
The remarks of Chong went viral online quickly. Many students and netizens described Chong’s comments as sexist, objectifying women, and outdated. While some argued that the criticism was exaggerated and said the comments simply reflected reality.
Chong’s Initial Response and Formal Apology
When approached by the media on 23 September, Chong first claimed that he probably did not make such remarks and suggested that the attendees might have misheard him. He later stated that there was “no discrimination” and that he had always supported gender equality. He also noted that the Cantonese slang “fish for a golden turtle” applies to both women and men, describing the talk as a “relatively balanced economic angle” that he had used before.
On 29 September, Chong posted a formal apology on his personal Facebook page. He stated “ I sincerely apologize for the public discontent and offense that was caused to some individuals by my remarks during the recent New Asia College assembly… I failed to consider whether my choice of words and the setting were appropriate carefully.” He added that he deeply respects women, asserts the equal status and opportunities for both sexes, and that the university is a place for learning and growth. “I have also learned from this experience,” he added.
CUHK’s Response
Responding to media inquiries, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) said that New Asia College had spoken with Chong, advised him to be mindful of his wording, and asked him to consider the feelings of different stakeholders in the university and wider society.
A group of current students and alumni formed the “New Asia College Biweekly Assembly Concern Group”, launched a petition form, and urged four demands. They demanded for Chong’s suspension from his college duties and consideration of deterrent sanctions; a public apology from Chong together with strengthening the vetting process for guest speakers to uphold the core values of university general education; reorganization of the Committee on Biweekly Assembly by including elected student representatives; and a review of the committee’s terms of reference to address conflicts of interest.
The controversy stands in contrast to an earlier New Asia College assembly on 4 February 2026, when Dr Wong Yuk Ying was invited as speaker of the topic on “Feminism in Hong Kong: Emphasising Gender and Gender Movements in the Hong Kong Context.”
A Gender Studies Professor’s Analysis
Dr. Carmen Tong, a gender and sexualities scholar at The University of Hong Kong, stated Chong’s remark reflected the long-existing traditional gender roles that still persists regardless of progress. “Despite all the progress that feminism has brought us… what still lingers with women’s gender role is marriage and family,” she said. Tong also added that society continues to emphasize the physical appearance of women, “Even women who are very successful in (their) career, they are still expected to be presentable in a certain way, so that a woman is more likely to be treasured or valued on their appearance… rather than the other aspects of success.”
When asked about Chong’s argument that men can also “fish for a golden turtle,” Tong described it as “more hypothetical than real.” She pointed out that men still dominate in many categories where they have more opportunities and power than women in the society. Tong said true gender equality means respecting women’s own life choices and autonomy: “Having a PhD and also needing a family or not should be the girl’s own choices… without imposing such a gender stereotype.”
Tong did not regard Chong’s remarks as influential to create setbacks on feminism progress, but she valued the public discussion sparked by the incident: “I actually don’t mind people saying that kind of things that seem to be very negative towards gender equality. There’s a chance for us to discuss and see how a lot of gender ideologies are still around.” On top of that, she emphasised the importance of continuing to open gender-related courses at universities, providing students with exposure to humanities and social sciences ideas.
As of 30 September, the petition and concern group’s demands remained under public discussion. Apart from reminding the speaker of the language, CUHK had not announced further disciplinary action.