1. Saturday, November 8, 1997 Published at 14:57 GMT
Despatches: Far East
Gill
McGivering
From Hong
Kong
On Sunday, Hong Kong stages a Remembrance Day service to commemmorate its war dead,
but the traditional ceremony at the Cenotaph has become embroiled in controversy following
the handover of Hong Kong from British to Chinese sovereignty. From Hong Kong, Gill
McGivering, reports;
"When Hong Kong was under British administration the November ceremony at the Cenotaph
in Hong Kong's central district was an established part of the official calender. Organised by
the local branch of the British legion it was usually attended by the British governor and the
local garrison of the British Army. But this year the event has become politically sensitive. The
poppies, medals and flags which are a central part of the service have been criticised for
being colonial. The chief executive, Tung Chee-Hwa, has decided not to attend the service
and the local garrison of China's People's Liberation Army has also declined the invitation to
take part. The organisers have tried to be conciliatory describing Sunday's ceremony as a
community event arranged by a local ex-servicemans' association. But official endorsement
of the event has clearly been lost. From next year the new government plans to hold a
different ceremony of its own to commemmorate Hong Kong's war dead. This will be linked to
a traditional Chinese festival which takes place at the same time of year. A government
spokesman told the BBC the new Chinese ceremony would be more in tune with the local
community but the veterans' groups say they're determined to keep up the Remembrance
Day traditions."