The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government is collaborating with local businesses and community groups to launch a series of celebratory activities and transportation and consumption discounts to mark the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China on Oct 1.

The celebration will start with a flag-raising ceremony and a National Day reception in the morning, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced on Tuesday while addressing the media ahead of the Executive Council meeting.

A large-scale fireworks display over Victoria Harbour will be another highlight, with more than 30,000 fireworks set to be released. A National Day gala will also be held on the evening of Oct 2 and broadcast live by TV stations.

The CE also revealed that public transport operators will offer discounts for trips, including trams, ferries, buses, trains, Ngong Ping 360 and Peak Tram.

Residents can take free rides on trams, the Star Ferry (Tsim Sha Tsui-Central route), and the First Ferry (North Point-Hung Hom and North Point-Kowloon City routes). Fortune Ferry will distribute total 2,000 free tickets for Central-Hung Hom route and North Point-Kwun Tong-Kai Tak route.

MTR, the city’s lone railway operator, will give away 76,000 electronic single-trip tickets in a lucky draw. Winners can take one free local ride, a cross-boundary trip at Lo Wu or Lok Ma Chau stations, or an Airport Express trip within a specified period.

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Children can enjoy free rides on designated daytime routes of Kowloon Motor Bus, Long Win Bus, Citybus, and New Lantau Bus. A 24-percent discount on round-trip standard cabin tickets for Ngong Ping 360 will also be offered to children.

From Oct 1 to 5, Ocean Park Hong Kong will roll out a 15-percent discount on tickets.

Moviegoers meanwhile can enjoy a half-price admission at all of the city’s cinemas as the government will subsidize half the ticket price. A number of recreational facilities managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, permanent exhibitions at the Science Museum and the Space Museum, special exhibitions at the Museum of Art, and the Hong Kong Wetland Park will be open to the public with free admission.

Lee said more than 1,000 eateries and businesses will also offer dining deals, with details to be announced by the industry later.

The government would unveil the details of various celebratory events and other consumption perks on its designated website later in the day, according to Lee.

Taxi ban withdrawal

Asked about the government’s withdrawal of a ban on taxis at the tourist hotspot High Island Reservoir East Dam, the CE reiterated that the government “understands the appeal of East Dam and hopes to strike a balance between tourism and environmental conservation, while ensuring that the impact on the lives of nearby residents will be minimized”.

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The government will monitor the actual situation after strengthening management during long holidays, particularly the National Day Golden Week, and formulate long-term solutions, he said, stressing that the government will continue to enhance information dissemination and assess periods of high crowd flow to make appropriate staffing arrangements.