Tens of thousands of people from Hong Kong offered happy birthday greetings yesterday, joining a parade of dragon dancers and a marching symphony orchestra, as the city marked the 12th anniversary of its return to the motherland.

The parade kicked off after the Chinese national flag and the flag of the special administrative region (SAR) were raised at a morning ceremony attended by government officials and hundreds of local residents and tourists at Golden Bauhinia Square in Wan Chai.

Some 40,000 people joined the parade, according to estimates by the event's organizer.

Some were better prepared for the temperatures that nudged to 32 C. "I knew it's going to be boiling hot so I checked the event's progress, and I brought with me a water bottle and an umbrella," said a 35-year-old accountant surnamed Yau.

"It is time for celebration," she said. "Hong Kong's economy has improved a lot in the past 12 years. I think the current recession is only temporary."

Yau's confidence is shared by Hong Kong's Chief Executive Donald Tsang.

Speaking at the 12th anniversary celebration reception, Tsang said: "This has been a challenging year for Hong Kong. While the financial tsunami has impacted heavily on economies around the world, the threat of a new strain of influenza has also kept every government on high alert."

"During this current set of challenges, we are confident we will be able to revitalize our economy, take good care of our people and fight against the flu pandemic," he said.

Source: China Daily