Veteran Hong Kong performer Andy Lau sang a patriotic number, Chinese acrobats juggled dishes and champion
Andy Lau, one of Hong Kong's biggest singers and movie stars, showed his nationalistic pride by singing the Mandarin song, "The Chinese."
"Hand in hand, let's march with our heads raised and let the whole world know we're Chinese," he belted out.
Olympic hurdler Liu Xiang offered congratulations in a variety show Saturday to mark the territory's 10th anniversary under Beijing's rule. Attended by Chinese President Hu Jintao, the two-hour show, broadcast live on Hong Kong television without commercial interruption, strayed from the standard local routine of sugary pop songs, mixing in performances by dragon dancers, acrobats and ballerinas.
Designed to highlight Hong Kong's unity with mainland China, pop stars from both sides of the border sang, performing in the national Chinese dialect of Mandarin and in Cantonese รข€” the dialect commonly spoken in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong singers Alan Tam, Paula Tsui, Frances Yip and mainlanders Sun Nan and Han Hong sang "Under the Lion Rock," a Cantonese song describing the struggles of the working class.
Andy Lau then followed up with a rare joint performance with Hong Kong pop's three other "heavenly kings" Aaron Kwok, Jacky Cheung and Leon Lai.
Chinese acrobats showed off daredevil moves, spinning dishes on the ends of sticks and riding unicycles in single file while balancing bowls on their heads.
Chinese Olympic champions Liu, diver Guo Jingjing and table tennis player Zhang Yining made brief congratulatory remarks.
Classical music star Lang Lang and the National Ballet of China also performed.
Hu clapped politely during the show, but showed little emotion.
Organizers kept some traditional Hong Kong pop elements, including songs like Jacky Cheung's "Love Is Eternal" and Leon Lai's "Not a Day Goes By Without Me Thinking About You."
Hong Kong singer Miriam Yeung sang while male dancers in white hats and jackets performed a hip-hop dance. Female pop duo Twins strutted their stuff in low-cut pink and purple outfits, and Kelly Chen sang a Broadway-style number wearing a top hat and floral-patterned, sequin-laced dress.
Still, the night was heavy on patriotism. The show ended with Hu leading all performers in a chorus of the song "Sing the Motherland," which extols China's greatness.
Former British colony Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule on July 1, 1997. Many locals were skeptical of the Chinese takeover, fearful that Beijing's authoritarian government would restrict Hong Kong's Western-style freedoms.
Ten years later, Hong Kong's civil liberties appear to be largely intact, although some say the media frequently practices self-censorship. Residents have also staged large protests to demand full democracy, but China has rejected reforms in the short term.
(Credits to AsianFanatics Forum)
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