Hong Kong marks 75th anniversary of the People's Republic of China with a cluster of events

Hong Kong commemorated the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China on Tuesday.

National Day kicks off a week-long holiday on the mainland, and the city organised over 400 events to mark the occasion, such as free Starr Ferry and tram rides and discounts at various places.

From commemorative banners to flags of China and Hong Kong, over 185,000 promotional materials and installations are included among the decorations for National Day, the largest number since 1997.

Mr. Lui came to Hong Kong for the events as part of a Shenzhen Youth Shufa Association group. They visited an art exhibition in Tsim Sha Tsui and brought along a bag of Chinese calligraphy pieces to take pictures next to the celebratory banners. They said the atmosphere in Hong Kong was less lively than on the mainland on National Day.

More than 222,000 mainland Chinese tourists entered Hong Kong on Tuesday, the first day of the National Day Golden Week holiday, according to government data. That was more than 25% higher than the same period last year, and the highest single-day total since the border reopened after the pandemic.

Meanwhile, 366,000 departures from Hong Kong were recorded. Around 100 markets and hawker zones offered a 25% discount on National Day.

Ms. Miu moved from Shanghai to Hong Kong in the 90s. She has been running a grocery store for more than 20 years at Fa Yuen Street Market. She used to own three stalls but now only has one.

She said sales have been in decline since the end of the pandemic last year.