Hong Kong residents celebrate 75th anniversary of founding of PRC by voicing strong support for motherland's further development

People from all walks of life in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) have extended their heartfelt congratulations and voiced their support and solidarity for the motherland's further development as China will embrace the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC) on Oct 1.

To mark this special occasion, the Hong Kong SAR will hold over 400 events, including a flag-raising ceremony, a firework display and a drone performance.

"Hong Kong is now immersed in a vibrant festive atmosphere as the 75th anniversary of the founding of the PRC draws near. The Hong Kong SAR government has organized over 400 events, and the streets are already adorned with various decorations. I believe this year's celebratory spirit will be the strongest since Hong Kong's return to the motherland in 1997," said Tu Haiming, deputy head of the Committee on Liaison with Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and Overseas Chinese of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

He wished prosperity and stability for the the motherland, hoping for steady growth and a bright future for both the Hong Kong and the Macao SARs under the "one country, two systems" principle.

"I would like to extend my best wishes to the motherland. As a mainland company based in Hong Kong, Chu Kong Shipping Enterprises (Group) Co., Ltd.(CKSG) will leverage the business and resource advantages to actively serve the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and further integrate into the national development strategy," said Liu Guanghui, chairman of CKSG, referring to the GBA, which is a megalopolis comprising the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macao as well as nine cities in the neighboring Guangdong Province, and the BRI, a China-proposed initiative aimed at boosting infrastructure, connectivity, and trade across multiple continents.

"I was born here in Hong Kong. My early years were in Shanghai. And I've seen the extraordinary progress of China. It's wonderful to see. And especially when you measure it in the progress which takes place in the mainland, it's quite extraordinary. I send my warm congratulations," said Michael Kadoorie, chairman of the Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels Ltd. and CLP Holdings Ltd.

Hong Kong residents celebrate 75th anniversary of founding of PRC by voicing strong support for motherland's further development

Hong Kong residents celebrate 75th anniversary of founding of PRC by voicing strong support for motherland's further development

Hong Kong residents celebrate 75th anniversary of founding of PRC by voicing strong support for motherland's further development

Hong Kong residents celebrate 75th anniversary of founding of PRC by voicing strong support for motherland's further development

China's consumer goods trade-in program is driving a surge in domestic spending and boosting demand for high-quality appliances, with the Labor Day holiday sparking greater consumer enthusiasm.

This initiative dates back to March 2024, when an action plan was introduced to encourage large-scale equipment renewal and consumer goods trade-ins. In January, the program was further expanded, increasing the number of home appliance categories eligible for subsidies from eight in 2024 to 12 in 2025.

In Yifeng County, Jiangxi Province, 100-inch televisions are in high demand. Ms. Xiong, one of the buyers, shared that her family had used their TV for over a decade and decided it was time for an upgrade. Encouraged by enhanced subsidies, she opted for a brand-new purchase.

"I enjoyed a subsidy of over 2,000 yuan (about 275.05 U.S. dollars). The TV is smart and family-friendly," said Xiong.

Following the rollout of the trade-in program, demand for high-quality home appliances among county and town residents continues to surge. A local warehouse has reported a recent spike of over 30 percent in daily shipment volumes, with smart appliances such as large-screen TVs and washing-and-drying machines seeing a staggering 300 percent increase.

"This year we have built four new warehouses, and we can store 600,000 pieces of parcels. The popularity (of trade-ins) is still rising, so we are now building the fifth warehouse," said Yao Chengyuan, the head of JD Jiangxi logistics large parcel center.

Cities have registered similar growth in consumer spending thanks to trade-in program. In a newly-opened large shopping mall in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, 90 percent of its more than 200,000 products are eligible for subsidies under the trade-in program.

On Thursday, the first day of China's ongoing five-day Labor Day holiday, the mall received more than 30,000 customers. Salespeople said consumers have shown a stronger desire to spend on higher-priced products.

"Many customers tend to buy mid-range and high-end products. Their average price used to be around 3,000 or 4,000 yuan, but now it is around 5,000 or 6,000 yuan," said Lyu Xiaodong, a salesman.

Sales platforms reported a 150 percent surge in store traffic on the first day of the holiday compared to last year. Sales of trade-in eligible products jumped 61 percent year on year, with computers, mobile phones, and smartwatches topping the list of best-sellers.

China's trade-in program drives holiday spending surge, boosts appliance demand