04-02-2007 17:39
Special Report: HK 10 Years
In Hong Kong, local youngsters are kicking off a series of celebrations for the 10th anniversary of the port city's return to China, and the creation of the Special Administrative Region.
On Sunday, thousands of people took part in the launch ceremony at the Golden Bauhina Square. Among them are officials from Hong Kong and the mainland. Secretary for Home Affairs, Patrick Ho Chi-ping says Hong Kong is seeing fast, healthy development. Organizers of the campaign said that a series of activities will be held to encourage local youngsters to learn more about the history and culture of their homeland. Several stellar entertainers joined the Hong Kong Children's Choir for the first public performance of the campaign's theme song.
Also on Sunday, the Hong Kong Association of International Accountants announced the start of a Putonghua speech contest. The event aims to further popularize standard Chinese in Hong Kong, where Cantonese pronunciation prevails. Most of the competitors are students from universities in Hong Kong and Macau.
To mark the tenth anniversary of Hong Kong's return to China, nearly 500 celebratory activities will be held in Hong Kong from April to December, including the naming of two pandas. In addition, a tour exhibition will soon get underway in the Chinese mainland.
Editor:Liu Fang
