National Day fireworks display above the Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong yesterday. Edmond Tang

HONG KONG: It started out looking much like any other day in Hong Kong, except that the city that usually sleeps late is sleeping later, because it's a holiday. Another thing that was different was all the colored banners rippling in the morning breeze.

There were already thousands of early birds in Golden Bauhinia Square at 8 am, who came to watch the flag-raising ceremony, joining in celebration of the 60th birthday of the People's Republic of China.

"I was born on October 1, 1949, the founding day of our motherland. I am very proud that I am celebrating my birthday with our country all along, and I regard the national anthem my birthday song as well," a woman in the crowd said.

Some students from the mainland came to watch. They're in Hong Kong taking part in some cultural exchange programs. To them Hong Kong's observance of National Day had a Western flavor.

"It's my third day in Hong Kong, and I love the city. I've been to the flag-raising ceremony in Beijing. The ceremony in Hong Kong is so different. It's a bit westernized, just like the city itself," a student said.

One spectator brought his 5-year-old son. The boy would not understand the meaning of the ceremony, but the dad wanted him to see it anyway. Father and son were going to witness something important this day, the raise of the flag.

Brian Frier, a physician professor from the UK, said he was in Hong Kong for a conference and deliberately got up early to attend the flag-raising ceremony yesterday morning.

"It is very impressive. The ceremony is well-organized and people seem enthusiastic about it. China developed rather quickly these years. After the handover, Hong Kong remains the present system and it works very well," said Frier.

Some of the plasma TV screens in Causeway Bay were not showing the live broadcast of the 60th anniversary celebrations in Tian'anmen Square, starting at 10 am. Grumbling about that, the spectators moved on to find a screen that was carrying the live broadcast. Then they stood rooted in place, joining millions upon millions all over China watching the spectacular show.

Luo Yanzhen, a woman who was a naval officer in the South China Sea Fleet back in the 1950s and 1960s, said that the parade brought back a lot of memories from half a century ago.

"It's hard to describe the feelings that arose when watching the magnificent procession. I was a soldier but never got the chance to march in the National Day parade. But I don't want to miss the chances to watch the parade," she said.

"The past can not be compared with the present," she sighed as she watched the men and women in their naval uniforms passing by.

Miniature flags were given out and spectators waved them at the big screen. Tourists from overseas joined the crowd. Shannon Kerry and Robert Hart are from the US, with their two kids settled down in Hong Kong just a few months ago. Attracted by the military parade, they stopped to watch the ceremony in front of the big plasma screen.

"The parade is amazing! I've never seen this before in the States," said Kerry.

Crowds started gathering around Victoria Harbor at noon hours before the annual fireworks display at 8 pm. Families, couples, and groups of friends crowded tightly along both shores, waiting to be dazzled by the explosions and the galaxy at lights that lit up the night sky. The 23-minute fireworks show to the accompaniment of familiar background music seemed to ignite a passion in everyone. At the finale, the characters "China Sixty" were illuminated sixty times, evoking exclamations of joy among the spectators.

One woman recalled the uncertainties she felt back in 1997 when the handover took place.

"We had doubts about life after 1997 at the beginning. Luckily the doubts proved to be wrong. Hong Kong is still a free and developed society. Beijing has always been very supportive of Hong Kong when we were in trouble. I believe the mainland will always back Hong Kong," she said.

Acting Chief Executive Wong Yan-lung (center) hosts a cocktail reception in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the PRC at the Grand Hall of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre after the flag-raising ceremony. Edmond Tang

Dancers perform at the cocktail reception hosted by the government yesterday. Edmond Tang

A girl (left) and an elderly woman join the crowd to celebrate the 60th anniversary in the World Trade Centre in Causeway Bay. Eve Yao

Students wave the national flags while watching festivities in Beijing on a big screen outside the World Trade Centre yesterday. Edmond Tang

The flag-raising ceremony in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the PRC at Golden Bauhinia Square in Wan Chai. Edmond Tang

A synchronized fly-past of Government Flying Services helicopters and a sea parade by disciplined services at the flag-raising ceremony yesterday. Edmond Tang

(HK Edition 10/02/2009 page1)