The ceremony marking Hong Kong's return to Chinese sovereignty begins at 11.30 pm on June 30 and will last up to 45 minutes, it was announced last night.
A few hours later as dawn rises, the Chinese People's Liberation Army will begin its deployment in Hong Kong via Lok Ma Chau, added Xinhua (the New China News Agency).
The celebrations kick off at 9 pm on June 30 when Victoria Harbour will be lit up with fireworks to say 'farewell to the old and welcome to the new'.
Two massive parties will then be held at Victoria Park and Happy Valley Racecourse before the main event gets under way.
More than 4,000 VIPs from Hong Kong and overseas will assemble in the new grand hall of the Convention and Exhibition Centre to witness history.
'As midnight is about to come, the British national flag and the Hong Kong flag will slowly lower,' Xinhua said.