Lockdowns, a lion dance and red carpet: how Hong Kong welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping
- Barricades deployed near Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai; officers patrol area ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s arrival
- Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan welcomed by current and former Hong Kong officials as acrobats perform lion dance in lobby of high-speed rail terminus
Hong Kong placed sections of its business district under strict lockdown on Thursday, together with a tech hub and a high-speed rail terminus, as part of a two-day visit by President Xi Jinping to mark the 25th anniversary of the city’s return to Chinese rule.
Barricades were deployed earlier in the day around the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai, with police patrolling the surrounding areas, hours before Xi arrived in the city at 3pm.
Soon after his arrival at the venue, the president posed for photographs with more than 100 high-ranking Hong Kong officials and business leaders. The Exhibition Centre MTR Station was also temporarily closed until Friday midday.
In West Kowloon, pedestrians were also barred from venturing too close to the high-speed rail terminus, where a red carpet was laid out for the arrival of Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan via train.
The duo were welcomed by masked personnel and primary school pupils waving national flags, chanting: “A passionate welcome!”
Acrobats performed a lion dance, a traditional Chinese art saved for festive occasions, in the terminus lobby where Xi was greeted by incumbent and former officials, introduced to him by outgoing leader Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor.
