BEIJING: A high-level delegation, comprising astronauts and experts from the China Manned Space Agency, lauded the participation of the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions in the development of the nation’s space programs, and expressed the hope that the SARs will further leverage their strengths to make greater contributions.
The delegation, led by Lin Xiqiang, deputy director of the space agency, arrived in Hong Kong on Tuesday on a four-day visit and made the remarks at a news conference.
Lin said that President Xi Jinping and the central government have always attached importance to and have been supportive of the scientific and technological development endeavors of Hong Kong and Macao.
Astronauts who helped in the construction of the Tiangong space station, including Liu Boming from the Shenzhou XII manned mission, Wang Yaping from Shenzhou XIII, Chen Dong from Shenzhou XIV and Zhang Lu from Shenzhou XV, and experts from related fields of manned space engineering are part of the visiting delegation.
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu hosted a welcoming banquet for the delegates after the media briefing, and said that over the past 30 years, the nation’s manned space program has achieved a lot of breakthroughs, making Chinese people everywhere very proud.
Lee said he hopes that Hong Kong’s young people will seize the opportunity of the delegation’s visit to learn more about the nation’s manned space program, and gain inspiration from the perseverance, skills and abilities of astronauts and other experts. –The Daily Mail-China Daily news exchange item
