Hong Kong government sets aside HK$50 million to host state leaders for handover anniversary
But city’s officials say their visits still unconfirmed
Hong Kong has earmarked around HK$50 million to host national leaders for the 20th anniversary celebrations of the city’s handover from Britain to China, yet local officials say the trip has not been confirmed.
This is on top of the HK$640 million bill that taxpayers will be paying for the government to organise and sponsor more than 500 activities in the city, on the mainland and overseas.
According to reports, President Xi Jinping was likely to review the People’s Liberation Army at the Hong Kong garrison as part of events to mark the 20th anniversary of the city’s return to Chinese sovereignty.
However, Director of Administration Kitty Choi Kit-yu said yesterday the trip had not been confirmed, despite the government setting aside over HK$50 million for hospitality to dignitaries. “All details are still under discussion. The amount [of around HK$50 million] is our largest estimation and there is no breakdown of the expenditure ... The amount to be spent hinges very much on the status of the visits, security requirements of the principal visitors, duration of their stay and the size of the delegations,” she explained during the special finance committee meeting of the Legislative Council.
According to the document submitted by the administration, the expenditure for the protocol division will rise by 102.8 per cent this year.
The expenditure will increase by HK$51.8 million from the last financial year’s revised estimate of HK$50.4 million. It will mainly cover hospitality for dignitaries, including ceremonies to greet and see off such guests, hotel accommodation and meals, transportation, security arrangements and other related expenses.