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Premier Wen Jiabao attended a flag-raising ceremony and a reception this morning (July 1) to celebrate the sixth anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).
The Premier and the Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, together with some 3,000 guests, members of the uniformed services and community groups, attended the flag-raising ceremony at 8 am at the Golden Bauhinia Square outside the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.
The police band and a mixed choir from the Diocesan Boys School and Diocesan Girls School performed at the ceremony. There was also a sea parade and a fly-past by the disciplined services.
After the ceremony, the Premier, accompanied by the Chief Executive, attended a reception hosted by Mr Tung in the Grand Hall of the exhibition centre. About 2,000 guests, including members of the Executive and Legislative Councils, consular corps, heads of missions in Hong Kong, senior Government officials and members of various community sectors have been invited to the reception.
After the reception, Premier Wen was given an official farewell in the lobby of his Wan Chai hotel. The farewell party consisted of Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR Mr Gao Siren; Chief Secretary for Administration Mr Donald Tsang; Financial Secretary Mr Antony Leung; Secretary for Justice Ms Elsie Leung; President of the Legislative Council Mrs Rita Fan; Executive Council member Mr Leung Chun-ying; Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the HKSAR Mr Ji Peiding; Commander of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) garrison in Hong Kong Major-General Wang Jitang; and Political Commissar, Major-General Wang Yufa of the PLA Forces in Hong Kong.
End/Tuesday, July 1, 2003
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