Tourists queue to enter the Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM) in West Kowloon Cultural District, Hong Kong, May 1, 2023. (EDMOND TANG / CHINA DAILY)

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region will roll out a string of special activities, including free admission to exhibitions, free rides on public transportation and discounts at restaurants, to celebrate the 26th anniversary of the city’s return to the motherland on July 1, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said on Tuesday.

Admission to all the exhibitions at the M+ museum and seven other special exhibitions at the Hong Kong Palace Museum in the West Kowloon Cultural District will be free on July 1.

According to the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority, visitors to Hong Kong Palace Museum can register for free admission from 3 pm on Wednesday through the websites of the museum and the WKCD, or apply for free tickets using their cellphones. Visitors to the M+ museum do not need to make advance bookings.

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Ticketing platforms will contact visitors who have already paid for admission to the two museums on July 1, to make refunding and new admission arrangements.

Other concessions for the public on July 1 include free admission to facilities run by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, as well as exhibitions at more than 15 museums, galleries and arts centers.

Residents will be entitled to free tram rides from July 1-5, while some Star Ferry and Fortune Ferry routes will also be free.

Gourmets can also benefit. About 1,000 restaurants across Hong Kong will offer discounts of up to 30 percent on designated dishes or food and beverage items on July 1.

Lee said the local economy is gradually getting back on track, as demonstrated by an increasing number of large-scale international conferences and exhibitions taking place in the city, as well as a surge in tourism numbers. Driven by the recovering tourism sector and rising local consumption, Hong Kong’s economy is expected to grow by 3.5 to 5.5 percent this year, he said.

He recalled that in previous years, local activists had attempted to hijack the celebrations, staging illegal activities and disturbing social peace. The SAR must continue to be on the alert for such threats and hold to account those who intend to disrupt social order, Lee said. 

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Among the themed events, visitors can appreciate the art of paper-cutting at an exhibition created by renowned paper-cutting artist Li Yunxia, which opens on Thursday. One of the major exhibits depicts children from different ethnic groups holding balloons as they gather around a Bauhinia flower to celebrate the 26th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to the motherland. This work of art combines numerous representative elements of Chinese paper-cutting to show the unity, harmony and prosperity in Hong Kong. 

Promoting the Quintessence of Chinese Culture — Paper Cutting Exhibition 2023 will be held by the Central and Western District Office of the Home Affairs Department at Pacific Place in Admiralty and will run through July 9. 

It will showcase the fusion of traditional paper-cutting art and modern technology, and invite visitors, especially young children, to experience traditional techniques through various workshops.

Wang Zhan contributed to the story. 

Contact the writer at mikegu@chinadailyhk.com