Communist Party flag displayed in HK for first time

The Communist Party flag was publicly displayed on Hong Kong soil for the first time by members of the second team of mainland experts who arrived in the city.

The flag was shown when the 114-member support team was sent off at the Shenzhen Bay port on Friday.

Director of China's National Administration of Disease Prevention and Control Wang Hesheng, deputy director of the State Council's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office Huang Liuquan, and vice governor of Guangdong Zhang Xin were among the officials who saw them off.

Wang encouraged the team to move quickly and demonstrate the professionalism, techniques and spirit of mainland medical staff.

Zhang Yurun, deputy director of the Health Commission of Guangdong who is leading the support team, said the central and provincial governments should rest assured that the team will complete its mission.

According to usual practice, party members responsible for anti-pandemic work set up a temporary subsidiary of the party at the place where they are helping.

But it is still unclear how the mainland support team will carry out their party's building work in Hong Kong.

Teams of health experts and workers arrived in Hong Kong after President Xi Jinping said Hong Kong's "overriding mission" is to stabilize and control the outbreaks.

Lau Siu-kai, vice president of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, said the display of the flag showed the support team's loyalty to the party.