More than 40,000 Hong Kong people are expected to attend a free concert tomorrow celebrating reunification with China apparently timed to draw crowds from a pro-democracy march.
A program of free shows including a performance by Chinese People's Liberation Army troops and music and dance shows is being laid on at the city's Hong Kong Stadium tomorrow.
The event, organized by a variety of pro-China groups and starting with a flag raising ceremony, is being held to mark the 9th anniversary of the return of Hong Kong to Chinese rule in 1997.
PHOTO: AFP
However, July 1 has since 2003 been the date for an annual pro-democracy march which in its first two years drew crowds estimated at 500,000.
By last year, however, numbers had fallen to under 30,000 following an upturn in the economy and the popularity of new Chief Executive Donald Tsang (
This year's march has been given added momentum by the support of former Hong Kong chief secretary Anson Chan (
Cheng Yiu-tong, one of the organizers of the Hong Kong Stadium event, denied that it had been timed to draw people away from the pro-democracy march.
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