John Lee leads Victory Day delegation to Beijing as Hong Kong prepares events

SCMP | Sept. 2, 2025, 1:59 a.m. | Original

Hong Kong has sent its largest-ever commemorative delegation to Beijing to mark China’s victory over Japan in World War II at a highly anticipated military parade, while the city will also host a series of events.

Delegation members, including Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu and his wife, Janet Lee Lam Lai-sim, finance minister Paul Chan Mo-po, police chief Joe Chow Yat-ming and lawmaker Kingsley Wong Kwok, were seen entering the city’s airport at around 8am on Tuesday.

Former chief executive Leung Chun-ying, now a state leader as a vice-chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the country’s top political advisory body, was also among the delegates.

Events for the 80th anniversary of Victory Day include a commemorative rally and the military parade on Wednesday morning, followed by a cultural gala in the evening, according to the government. Delegation members are expected to return home the next day.

Starry Lee Wai-king, Hong Kong’s sole representative on the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, the country’s top legislative body, arrived in Beijing on Tuesday afternoon and visited botanical art installations on Chang’an Avenue, where the military parade will take place.

“[The installations] not only showcase the national spirit of struggle but also demonstrate the prosperity and innovation of the motherland in the new era,” she said.

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