Chinese President Hu Jintao (
The display of military force -- which also included helicopters and ships -- was just one of many events to pump up patriotic feelings ahead of today's celebration. The city also showed off a pair of cuddly pandas -- a special anniversary gift from Beijing -- and pop stars were to perform in an evening variety show.
Before Hu joined a dinner banquet at a luxury hotel, about 100 protesters demanding more democracy for Hong Kong tried to march to the venue, but they were stopped a few blocks away by a wall of police. Chanting "Power to the people!" and "Build a democratic China," the marchers tried to push their way through with little success.
Since the British left on July 1, 1997, China has tried to encourage people in Hong Kong to have a deeper feeling for the motherland and consider themselves Chinese citizens -- not "Hong Kongers" distinct from their mainland compatriots. To hammer home this point again, a fireworks show tonight was expected to spell out "Chinese people" in red pyrotechnics over the city's famous harbor.
But much more work needs to be done on the patriotic front, according to recent polls. A survey by the University of Hong Kong said last month that 55 percent of the respondents identified themselves as "Hong Kong citizens" or "Chinese Hong Kong citizens."
During a dinner speech, Hu urged the city leaders to focus more on patriotic education for the young. He said that all Hong Kongers "should unite under the banner of loving Hong Kong and loving the country to defend the country's interests."
Earlier yesterday, Hu visited a naval base and strolled past a long line of 800 officers and troops. As a marching band played, Hu yelled, "Comrades, you've been working hard!" and the men shouted back, "We serve the people!"
After arriving on Friday on his first presidential trip to Hong Kong, Hu played pingpong with a teenage champion and sipped tea with working-class families.
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