HONG KONG - Hong Kong held a flag-raising ceremony on Sunday to pay tribute to the spirit of the patriotic May Fourth Movement of 1919 that shaped modern Chinese history and the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression.

Approximately 1,200 students from 19 youth uniformed groups and various schools participated in the event, held by the Committee of Youth Activities in Hong Kong Limited at the landmark Golden Bauhinia Square of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).

At 8:00 AM (0000 GMT), the Hong Kong Children's Choir led the singing of the "March of the Volunteers," the national anthem of the People's Republic of China, as the national flag and the flag of the HKSAR were raised.

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All attendees stood in reverence to join in the singing of the national anthem, while a solemn tribute was paid to three veteran soldiers from the Hong Kong-Kowloon Independent Brigade of the East River Column, who fought in the anti-aggression war, with the uniformed groups saluting them in deep respect.

Officials, including Eric Chan Kwok-ki, chief secretary for the HKSAR government, and Liu Guangyuan, deputy director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR, witnessed the occasion and presented honors to the flag bearers.

Chan wrote later on social media that Hong Kong youth have unique advantages in pursuing their dreams, supported by significant opportunities and the backing from the HKSAR government.

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He encouraged the young people to weave their dreams with wisdom, pursue them with determination, and realize them through action.