On the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to the motherland, President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan came to Hong Kong for inspection from June 30 to July 1, and attended the meeting celebrating the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to the motherland and the inaugural ceremony of the sixth-term government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). In response to President Xi’s itinerary, the Force mobilised various formations to join relevant security operations. The officers were all committed to performing their duties professionally and proficiently while taking corresponding measures such as road closure and traffic diversion to ensure that the entire security operation would progress safely and orderly.

Chief Executive Mr John Lee, together with key officials and guests, attended the flag-raising ceremony at the Golden Bauhinia Square in Wan Chai on the morning of July 1 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR. As the Force had switched to the Chinese-style foot drill since July 1, the Police Flag Party marched steadily and powerfully with the newly adopted style in the ceremony and at the flag-raising ceremonial.

In solidarity, officers of the Force held fast to their posts to maintain order properly in different locations, successfully allowing various activities to proceed under a safe and orderly condition. More visual coverage of this security operation can be found in Photo Features.

In retrospect of the past 25 years, the Force has been advancing with the people. It strives to uphold the law, respond to emergencies, save those in danger and guard our city with faith. In the 1990s, the number of burglaries and robberies was high. It was all because of the unremitting efforts of the officers to fight crime that the overall security of the society could be improved significantly. In the face of various arduous tasks in recent years, the Force has never recoiled. When the black violence raged, the officers stuck to their posts to curb violence and counter terrorism. When the epidemic of the century hit, they worked closely with other departments to fight the epidemic. Despite all the difficulties ahead, the Force will keep fully committed to ensuring the safety of the citizen’s lives and property so that Hong Kong will continue being one of the most secure and stable societies in the world.