Hong Kong marks 10th anniversary of handover

HONG KONG yesterday marked 10 years under Chinese rule with pomp and ceremony, but tens of thousands of pro-democracy campaigners also gathered to call for sweeping political reform.

The city’s chief executive Donald Tsang and his new cabinet were sworn in before Chinese president Hu Jintao at the start of a jam-packed day of events to mark the anniversary of the handover of the former British colony.

But in stark contrast to July 1, 1997 — when the last colonial governor Chris Patten, Prince Charles and then-prime minister Tony Blair were on hand — no high-profile officials from Britain were invited to participate. On that day, British dignitaries sailed out of Victoria Harbour in driving rain, ending 155 years of British rule over Hong Kong and launching a new era for the city as a Chinese territory.