The Delegation of Shenzhou-6 Manned Space Mission was warmly greeted by some 40,000 Hong Kong citizens with national flags and flags of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) in Hong Kong Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

The 30-strong delegation, including astronauts Fei Junlong and Nie Haisheng and leading engineers of Shenzhou-6 manned space mission, had arrived in Hong Kong earlier in the day at the invitation of Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang.

The Variety Show for Welcoming the Delegation of Shenzhou-6 Manned Space Mission, China's second manned space mission, began at about 3:10 p.m. (0710 GMT).

When Fei Junlong and Nie Haisheng traveled around the stadium by a battery vehicle, Hong Kong citizens at the stadium all stood up in respect with flags and small balloons in hands.

Chief Executive Donald Tsang said at the beginning of the show that Hong Kong was specially honored to welcome the delegation and he expressed respect to the national heroes on behalf of the HKSAR government and all Hong Kong citizens.

He said the successful launching of the Shenzhou-6 manned spacecraft advanced the space dream of the Chinese nation and is the honor of the whole nation and he expects a further leap forward of China's space undertakings.

Hu Shixiang, deputy chief commander of China's manned space flight project, expressed his thanks for the warm welcome showed by Hong Kong compatriots and conveyed greetings of President Hu Jintao, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress Wu Bangguo and Premier Wen Jiabao.

He said the gathering of over 40,000 Hong Kong compatriots at the variety show to celebrate the successful launching of the Shenzhou-6 manned spacecraft showed Hong Kong compatriots' concern for the space undertaking of the motherland.

Hu, on behalf of all personnel engaged in China's space industry, wished Hong Kong a more beautiful tomorrow and a more powerful and prosperous motherland.

Hong Kong popular stars as Jeoy Yung, Leo Ku Kai Kei and Lisa Wong offered songs at the show. Dragon and lion dances were also staged at the show.

A special part of show was a dialogue between the two astronauts and six primary school students about 10 years old.

Fei Junlong and Nie Haisheng firstly thanked the HKSAR government and Hong Kong citizens for their welcome.

Answering a question on the feeling when chosen for implementing the mission, Fei said he felt excited and honored for implementing so important a task and making contributions for the nation.

Asked about things that impressed most during the mission, Nie said the most impressive moments were receiving greetings from the Chinese people, including Hong Kong people. They were the strongest driving force for completing the mission.

Some of the girls and boys are interested in becoming astronauts. Fei and Nie said hard study and good health will help them to realize their dreams.

The six students know quite a lot about the two astronauts and they even know that the children of the two men are related to space flight.

Nie said that when his daughter was born, he was an army pilot.He felt really wonderful while driving an aircraft, so he named his daughter Tianxiang -- meaning flying high in the sky.

Four Hong Kong school students presented their paintings to the delegation, about the flying dragons characterizing the nation and China's future missions to the moon.

Hong Kong residents also showed their love for the astronauts by taking pictures in front of the two posters of Fei and Nie.

Besides the show, the delegation is scheduled to meet with people from various walks of life and give presentations of the space mission during the three-day visit.

Source: Xinhua