John Lee’s priorities in final year of term: 5-year plan, Northern Metropolis, livelihoods

Hong Kong is marking the 29th anniversary of its return to Chinese sovereignty this Wednesday, with businesses and authorities rolling out a range of promotions for the big day.A flag-raising ceremony at Wan Chai’s Golden Bauhinia Square kick-started the celebrations, with Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, other top officials and prominent figures to attend.After the ceremony, the city leader gave his annual handover speech at a reception held at the nearby Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.He set out his priorities for his fifth year in office, as the city also hosted a ceremony marking the 105th anniversary of the founding of the China" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="7909" data-entity-type="organization">Communist Party of China.To get into the public holiday spirit, more than 1,000 shops, restaurants and other outlets are offering a range of retail and dining promotions.Residents can also enjoy free tram rides and admission to sports facilities managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department.Follow the China-morning-post" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="12558" data-entity-type="organization">South China Morning Post’s live coverage on the day’s happenings.Reporting by Leopold Chen, Matthew Cheng, Kate Chan, Theodora Yu, Benjamin Fuller, Kristen Cheung and Jeffie LamWATCH LIVE: Ceremony marking 29th anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover