Nearly 24,000 people will have the chance to see China's first spacewalk astronauts in Hong Kong next weekend.
People's Liberation Army Colonel Zhai Zhigang - who conducted the spacewalk on September 27 - and his fellow Shenzhou VII crewmen Colonel Liu Boming and Colonel Jing Haipeng will share their experiences at a variety show, one of three events open to students and the public during their four-day stay.
'The public will be able to share the joy brought about by the breakthrough in China's manned space industry and learn from the astronauts their resilience and perseverance,' Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen said as the government announced the visit yesterday and thanked the central government for its arrangements.
A 40-strong delegation, led by the deputy head of China's space programme, Zhang Jianqi, will be greeted by government officials at a welcoming dinner following their arrival next Friday.
The following day, spacemen will officiate at the opening of a 10-day special exhibition at the Science Musuem about the first spacewalk.
The Leisure and Cultural Services Department will issue 66,600 free tickets to the exhibition on Wednesday.
