President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan arrived in Hong Kong by train this afternoon (June 30) to inspect the city and attend a meeting celebrating the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland and the inaugural ceremony of the sixth-term government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). They were greeted by the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, her husband Mr Lam Siu-por, and the Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR, Mr Luo Huining, at the platform of the West Kowloon Station of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link.

     Other members of the welcoming party, at the concourse of the station, included the Chief Executive-elect, Mr John Lee; the Vice-Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Mr C Y Leung; the Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal, Mr Andrew Cheung Kui-nung; the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan; the Secretary for Justice, Ms Teresa Cheng, SC; the President of the Legislative Council, Mr Andrew Leung; the Convenor of the Non-official Members of the Executive Council, Mr Bernard Chan; the Head of the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR, Mr Zheng Yanxiong; the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the HKSAR, Mr Liu Guangyuan; the Commander-in-chief of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison, Major General Peng Jingtang; and the Political Commissar of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison, Navy Rear Admiral Lai Ruxin. It was a lively occasion with several hundred students and citizens waving the national and regional flags at the platform and the concourse to show their welcome, together with a Police Silver Band performance and lion dance.

     President Xi waved to the welcoming party along the way and gave brief remarks to reporters. He will attend a meeting celebrating the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland and the inaugural ceremony of the sixth-term government of the HKSAR tomorrow.

Ends/Thursday, June 30, 2022
Issued at HKT 16:40

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