• 11/29/2024

HKFP Lens: Hong Kong marks China’s National Day with displays of patriotism, pyrotechnics

Hong Kong Free Press

HKFP Lens - Hong Kong marks China's National Day with displays of patriotism, pyrotechnics

Sunday marked the first National Day holiday in Hong Kong since all Covid-19 restrictions were lifted, with crowds once again allowed to gather and fireworks illuminating Victoria Harbour after a four-year hiatus.

Hong Kong National Day Victoria Harbour fireworks display 2023
Hong Kong’s National Day fireworks display on October 1, 2023. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.

The day began with a flag-raising ceremony and reception, during which Chief Executive John Lee hailed the “endless opportunities” Beijing had given Hong Kong, raising a glass to observe the 74th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China.

National Day 2023 Hanfu patriotism China Tsim Sha Tsui
People wearing Hanfu, the traditional dress of China’s Han dynasty, in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong, on October 1, 2023. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.

Across the city, groups of people wearing Hanfu, traditional dress of China’s Han dynasty, or carrying national flags gathered to celebrate the occasion, amid temperatures of up to 34 degrees Celsius.

Crowds people National Day 2023 fireworks
Crowds watch a National Day fireworks display in Hong Kong, on October 1, 2023. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.

Leading up to National Day, flags, bunting and posters appeared from Central to Yuen Long. When asked by HKFP about the cost of the patriotic decorations in local districts, a Home Affairs Department spokesperson on Friday did not give an exact figure.

China Hong Kong flags National Day 2023 patriotism Tsim Sha Tsui
National and Hong Kong flags in Tsim Sha Tsui, in Hong Kong, on October 1, 2023. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.

At 9 pm, pyrotechnic display involving more than 30,000 fireworks and with a price tag of HK$18 million kicked off above Victoria Harbour. While some people were so eager to see the return of fireworks to the city they secured their spots along the harbourfront early in the day, stallholders at a market who were forced to close during the spectacle were less enamoured.

Hong Kong National Day 2023 fireworks display Victoria Harbour
Fireworks above Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour on October 1, 2023. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.
love china national day
A China National Day patriotic gathering in Tsim Sha Tsui on Sunday, October 1, 2023. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.
Crowds National Day Fireworks Victoria Harbour 2023
People watch Hong Kong’s National Day fireworks from Tsim Sha Tsui, on October 1, 2023. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.
China flag National Day 2023 Tsim Sha Tsui
A man holds a China flag outside Hong Kong Cultural Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui, on October 1, 2023. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.
Fireworks National Day Hong Kong 2023 Victoria Harbour
Fireworks in Hong Kong for National Day on October 1, 2023. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.
Hong Kong China flags National Day 2023
People wave national and Hong Kong flags, in Hong Kong, on October 1, 2023. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.
Hong Kong National Day fireworks Victoria Harbour 2023
Hong Kong marks China’s National Day with a fireworks display on October 1, 2023. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.
china flags tsim sha tsui national day
A China National Day patriotic gathering in Tsim Sha Tsui on Sunday, October 1, 2023. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.
National Day 2023 Hong Kong China flags Tsim Sha Tsui
A woman poses for a picture beneath national and Hong Kong flags in Tsim Sha Tsui, in Hong Kong, on October 1, 2023. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.
Hong Kong China flags National Day 2023 patriotism
National and Hong Kong flags in Hong Kong, on October 1, 2023. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.

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https://hongkongfp.com/2023/10/02/hkfp-lens-hong-kong-marks-chinas-national-day-with-displays-of-patriotism-pyrotechnics/