(30 Jun 1997) T/I: 10:33:46
The British flag, the Union Jack, was lowered for the last time in the colony of Hong Kong on Monday night (30/6), just hours before the handover of the territory to China.
Among those attending the farewell ceremony was British Prime Minister Tony Blair and US secretary of state Madeleine Albright.
Ignoring constant rain and high humidity, hundreds of participants presented a show that was colourful and musical, and that ranged from a traditional Chinese dragon dance and drumming, to British military bands.
SHOWS:
HONG KONG, 30/06
WS Parade ground at East Tamar,
Britannia in background;
crowd under umbrellas, man waves British flag;
band plays;
Top shot of parade ground and Britannia;
Margaret Thatcher arrives;
Martin Lee, leader of Democratic Party arrives;
British foreign minister Robin Cook arrives;
WS ceremony dragon dance underway;
Gun salute from HM Chatham;
Prince Charles and Chris Patten arrive in limo;
dancers;
Charles and Patten out of car;
Charles and Patten join Prime Minister Tony Blair and wife Cherie, Robin Cook on stage;
VS trumpeters;
MS official party;
MS drum players;
WS drum players and stage;
various musicians;
WS scene;
WS Britannia with skyline in background;
WS parade ground with skyline, colored lights on buildings;
Patten rises and walks to podium;
WS parade ground, crowds;
SOT Patten, "For hong Kong as a whole today is cause for celebration not sorrow";
Cutaway Tony Blair and Mrs Lavender Patten;
SOT Patten,"It has been the greatest honour and privilege of my life to share your home for five years and have some responsibility for your future. Now hong Kong people are to run Hong Kong that is the promise and that is the unshakable destiny";
Patten leaves microphone;
sits with Tony Blair;
WS skyline;
WS military pageant;
Black Watch soldiers enter arena;
CU Prince Charles salutes, Patten standing alongside;
band plays, "God save the queen;
Union Jack flying;
VS military personnel at attention;
WS scene;
Prince Charles approaches podium;
SOT Prince Charles, "The british flag will be lowered and British adminstrative responsibility will end. But Britain is not saying goodbye to Hong Kong. More than 3.5 million Hong Kong residents are British nationals, thousands of young Hong Kong men and women study in Britain every year. We share language and English common law. And thousands of Britons too, have made their homes in Hong Kong. The shared legacy of family and friendship, trade and investment, culture and history runs strong and deep. Britain is part of Hong Kong's history and Hong Kong is part of Britain's history. We are also part of each other's future. We are confident that the ties between us will
not only endure, but continue to develop";
WS flags and soldiers;
flag lowering ceremony;
piper;
flag being taken from pole and folded;
guns firing in air;
Top Shot 'Hong Kong' written in lights;
perfomers;
Prince Charles leaves;
7.35
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