
Hong Kong to mark July 1 anniversary with flag-raising ceremony, fly-past
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Hong Kong marks the 28th anniversary of its return to Chinese sovereignty on Tuesday.
The day's events start with a flag-raising ceremony at Golden Bauhinia Square in Wan Chai and a reception at the nearby Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, where Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu will give a speech to mark the anniversary.
Residents, meanwhile, will be able to enjoy discounts at more than 3,800 restaurants as part of the July 1 celebrations, as well as free museum visits and tram rides, and cheap tickets for some of the city's major attractions.
On Monday, the city marked the fifth anniversary of the Beijing-imposed national security law. The legislation changed the city's political landscape, with the annual July 1 march organised by the opposition bloc last held in 2019.
Follow the Post's updates on the day's events.
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Reporting by Jeffie Lam, Jess Ma and Willa Wu.
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From free museum visits and tram rides to discounted meals and fun runs, residents and tourists took full advantage of offers by thousands of businesses, braving the frequent showers to revel in the celebrations of the city's 28th anniversary of its handover to Beijing. Rows of bright red national and Hong Kong flags adorned the streets and tourist attractions on Tuesday, as around 3,800 restaurants offered special discounts, hoping to attract diners and boost spending. A parade of about 30 fishing boats along Victoria Harbour drew crowds despite the gloomy weather, while the Star Ferry offered free one-day rides between Wan Chai and Tsim Sha Tsui, an opportunity that many tourists seized to visit Golden Bauhinia Square. Near the Wan Chai ferry terminal, the spot features the famous Bauhinia statue, a prominent symbol of the city's 1997 handover. Sinopec, which sponsored the free ferry rides, also set up booths to hand out complimentary panda plush toys and Chinese flags to passengers. Among those celebrating was Lili Zhong, 25, a recent master's graduate visiting Hong Kong and Macau with her mother from Shandong province. 'I was given a national flag and a Hong Kong flag at Tsim Sha Tsui by the staff there. I feel they are very meaningful souvenirs available only on Tuesday,' Zhong said.