China Olympians to embark on charm offensive in HK
The SAR government announced on Sunday that a delegation of national athletes who competed in the Paris Olympics will visit Hong Kong at the end of this month. The elite athletes will arrive in the SAR by plane on August 29. Fans will have a chance to greet them at three public events - a gala show on the evening of August 30, and two concurrent demonstrations at Queen Elizabeth Stadium and Victoria Park Swimming Pool on the morning of August 31.  The delegation will depart the city on the same afternoon and make their way to Macau, where they will stay another three days. They will also meet local athletes at the Sports Institute, and attend a reception and banquet hosted by the SAR government. Who exactly will be coming remains unknown, but the Leisure and Cultural Services Department confirmed there will be badminton and table tennis stars, as well gymnasts, divers and swimmers. Chief Executive John Lee has expressed gratitude to the General Administration of Sport of China and the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office for arranging the visit. "Hong Kong people will be able to share the national team's joy and triumphs, thereby strengthening their patriotic passion and national spirit, especially among the youngsters," he said in a statement. The CE noted past visits by the national team had "always been a craze", and hoped the athletes will share their journey of perseverance and success and promote the spirit of Chinese sports. More than 5,000 tickets for the events will go on sale from 10am on Thursday. Each person can buy no more than two tickets, priced at HK$20.  Some seats have also been reserved for the underprivileged free of charge. Identity checks will be enforced at the door to weed out scalping activities, and the government urged spectators to arrive ahead of time.