HONG KONG. Strengthened security measures and thousands of guests quarantined before the celebrations. Hong Kong is preparing to receive the visit of the Chinese President, Xi Jinping, who will stop for two days to celebrate the 25th anniversary (July 1, 1997) of the city’s passage to China and to officiate the inauguration ceremony of the new government led by the leader incoming John Lee, scheduled for tomorrow. According to the local South China Morning Post newspaper, Xi is expected to arrive in the city aboard a high-speed train with his wife, Peng Liyuan, this afternoon. The Chinese president is reportedly expected to visit Hong Kong Science Park before meeting pro-Beijing politicians and tycoons, and then attend a closed-door banquet hosted by outgoing Hong Kong governor Carrie Lam.
Both Xi and Peng are likely to spend the night in the Chinese city of Shenzhen – 15 minutes from Hong Kong by high-speed train – and return to the city on Friday morning to attend the July 1 events. Prior to his arrival, thousands of guests – including senior officials, lawmakers and diplomats – checked into quarantine hotels earlier this week and performed daily nucleic acid tests as part of coronavirus precautions. . The police have also strengthened security, designating safety zones and road closures, as well as a no-fly zone for tomorrow. More than 10 reporters from local and international media outlets were refused accreditation for “security reasons”, with the government saying it was trying to find “a balance between the need for media work and security requirements.”