Hong Kong gears up to welcome Xi for handover anniversary

By ZEN SOO
Associated Press

HONG KONG (AP) — Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to begin a two-day visit to Hong Kong to mark the 25th anniversary of the city’s handover to mainland China, with a raft of heightened security measures and thousands of guests put into quarantine ahead of the celebrations. Xi, who has not left mainland China since the pandemic began 2 1/2 years ago, will attend a ceremony marking Hong Kong’s return to Chinese rule and officiate an inauguration ceremony for the new government led by incoming leader John Lee on Friday. He is expected to arrive by high-speed train on Thursday afternoon and visit the city’s Science Park. Xi will also meet with pro-Beijing politicians and tycoons, according to local media reports.