A spectacular sunset ceremony will provide the platform for Governor Chris Patten to deliver his farewell speech to the territory.
He will address 10,000 people gathered in stands on the harbour front at East Tamar for a military pageant to mark the end of British administration.
Details of Mr Patten's last public address were revealed yesterday after it emerged he would not be invited to speak at the midnight handover ceremony.
The departing sovereign power's representative, Prince Charles, will speak at the formal ceremony.
Speculation that China would send Prime Minister Li Peng as its representative grew yesterday after handover ceremony co-ordination chief Stephen Lam Shui-lun said Beijing had indicated it would 'match this presence'.
'Since the Prince of Wales is the successor to the British throne we will need a very senior Chinese leader to match that protocol ranking,' he said.