Accompanied by Chief Executive Donald Tsang, Vice-President Zeng Qinghong greets the public in front of the Cinderella Carousel. 

On September 12, 2005, Vice-President Zeng Qinghong officiated at the Grand Opening of Hong Kong Disneyland.

Before the midday ceremony, Mr Zeng toured the various attractions of the theme park.

He first arrived at Disney's Storybook Theatre where he was briefed by Financial Secretary Mr Henry Tang and Hong Kong Disneyland Group Managing Director Mr Don Robinson on the background of Hong Kong Disneyland.

Accompanied by Chief Executive Mr Donald Tsang, Mr Zeng then visited the Chinese food court Clopin's Festival of Foods, the Mad Hatter Tea Cups and the Fantasy Gardens, where they posed for photographs with Disney cartoon characters. The guests were shown the 4D film, "Mickey's PhilharMagic".

After the whirlwind tour, Mr Zeng was escorted to the front of Sleeping Beauty Castle for the Grand Opening Ceremony.

Members of the Hong Kong Children's Choir performed for the guests and delivered welcome speeches in Putonghua, English and Cantonese. The VIPs were invited to dot the eyes of five ceremonial lions.

Flanked by Mickey and Minnie, the guests then performed the ribbon-cutting ceremony, which was followed by a fireworks display.

Representatives of Guangdong, Hainan, Sichuan and Yunan provinces as well as Macao Special Administration Region (members of the Pan-Pearl River Delta Regional Cooperation) attended the Opening Ceremony.

Hong Kong Disneyland is a strategic investment by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government in the tourism sector. The theme park is the fifth of its kind in the world.

(Provided by HKSARG)

Editor: Catherine