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A flag-raising ceremony will be held on July 1, 2002 to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

It will be followed by an inaugural ceremony when the Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee-hwa, takes an oath for his second term.

During the inaugural ceremony, all the principal officials and members of the Executive Council will also take their oaths.

The flag-raising ceremony will be held at the Golden Bauhinia Square, Wan Chai, at 8 am, and about 800 guests will attend.

The inaugural ceremony will be held at the Grand Hall of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, starting at 9 am.

About 2,000 guests will attend the inaugural ceremony. They include Members of the Executive Council and Legislative Council, consular corps, heads of missions in Hong Kong, senior Government officials, and members of the community.

The inaugural ceremony will be followed by a 40-minute cultural performance, featuring world renowned pianist Mr Li Yundi as well as violinist Mr Li Chuan Yun, to be accompanied by Ms Nancy Loo.

There will also be performances by the mixed choir of Diocesan Girls' School and the Diocesan Boys' School, and tap dance by students of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts.

In the evening, a 23-minute fireworks display will light up the sky of Victoria Harbour starting at 8 pm.

On July 2, there will be a youth concert entitled "Music of the Dragon" to be performed by more than 10,000 young people from Hong Kong as well as from Macau, Taiwan and the Mainland.

The flag-raising and inaugural ceremonies will be broadcast live on TVB, ATV, Cable TV, RTHK and Commercial Radio. There will also be live broadcast of the two ceremonies on the video walls of Ocean Terminal and Time Square.

End/Thursday, June 27, 2002

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