Members of a China Manned Space delegation delegation wave to people on their arrival at the Hong Kong International Airport, Nov 28, 2023. They are on a four-day visit to Hong Kong. (PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

HONG KONG – A China Manned Space delegation arrived in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on Tuesday for a four-day visit at the invitation of the SAR government.

Lin Xiqiang, deputy director general of the China Manned Space Agency, is leading the delegation.

The delegation is comprised of astronauts who participated in the construction of the Chinese Space Station, including Shenzhou-XII astronaut Liu Boming, Shenzhou-XIII astronaut Wang Yaping, Shenzhou-XIV astronaut Chen Dong, Shenzhou-XV astronaut Zhang Lu and experts from related fields of the manned space engineering systems.

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Extending his warm welcome to the delegation, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu thanked the central government for the arrangements.

Through the delegation's visit, Hong Kong people can share the nation’s pride in China's manned space development from close range, and develop a deeper understanding of the country’s developments in aerospace technologies.

John Lee, Chief Executive, HKSAR

“The China Manned Space Program has made extraordinary achievements over the past three decades. It has made history by realizing the Chinese nation’s millennium-long dream of flying to the stars, of which we as Chinese are all profoundly proud,” he said. 

Through the delegation's visit, Hong Kong people can share the nation’s pride in China's manned space development from close range, and develop a deeper understanding of the country’s developments in aerospace technologies, said the CE. 

“The visit exemplifies the affection and support of the Central People's Government for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region,” he added.

Speaking to the media before the weekly Executive Council meeting, the CE said he believed that the visit could be a great encouragement to the SAR’s development of aerospace science and technology, as well as the promotion of innovation and technology development, and the development of Hong Kong into an international innovation and technology center.

The country announced in 2022 the launch of the recruitment of the fourth batch of astronauts and the recruitment of payload specialists in Hong Kong and Macao for the first time, he said, expressing his hope that Hong Kong can have its first astronaut.

The delegation attended a media briefing in on Tuesday afternoon at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai to introduce the latest developments of the China Manned Space Program and take questions from the press. 

It's also set to officiate at the opening ceremony of the “China Manned Space Exhibition”, and meet with representatives of Hong Kong’s innovation and technology sector, and teachers and students from tertiary, secondary, and primary schools for exchanges.

Members of the China Manned Space delegation and experts from related fields of manned space engineering systems meet the media at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai, Nov 28, 2023. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY)

The delegation will also attend a variety show at the Hong Kong Coliseum to mark Hong Kong’s welcoming of the China Manned Space delegation. 

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The Home Affairs Department will distribute about 5,000 free tickets with assigned seat numbers for the variety show to members of the public at the 20 Home Affairs Enquiry Centres. The limited number of free tickets will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis and each person may obtain a maximum of two tickets while stocks last. 

The variety show will be broadcast live at 5 pm on Nov 29 on TVB Jade. The show will be re-run at 1:15 pm on Dec 2, also on TVB Jade.

Wu Kunling contributed to the story