The nation's first man in space says Hong Kong people can help make the city even better under the leadership of Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa.
In a letter to the Hong Kong public, Colonel Yang Liwei said people in the city possessed the special qualities of the Chinese to achieve this, such as the ability to endure pain, a fighting spirit and dedication.
The letter came with a video clip featuring Colonel Yang delivering a speech in front of gifts and a model of his spacecraft that were offered to him by students during his recent visit to Hong Kong.
Colonel Yang also provided answers to 130 questions raised by the students.
In his letter thanking Hong Kong for the warm welcome he received during his visit, Colonel Yang said his delegation had experienced the energy of the city as an international financial, trade and shipping centre.
They had been lucky to experience the unique charisma of Hong Kong as a place that integrates eastern and western cultures, he said.