Hong Kong mourns former Chinese premier Li Keqiang’s death, flags lowered to half-mast ahead of cremation ceremony in Beijing
- City and country flags flying at half-mast at Tamar in Admiralty, Government House, Hong Kong International Airport and all border crossings
- Schools have been asked to fly both flags as usual, according to Education Bureau notice obtained by the Post
Hong Kong mourned the death of former Chinese premier Li Keqiang by lowering flags to half mast at several sites on Thursday, ahead of a cremation ceremony to be held in the nation’s capital.
The city and country flags were flying at half-mast at Tamar in Admiralty, Government House in Central, the Hong Kong International Airport and all border crossings.
But an Education Bureau notice obtained by the Post indicates schools have been asked to fly both flags as usual.
In a reply to the Post, the bureau said it had followed government guidelines, which only required the lowering of flags at designated places.
As of Thursday morning, no mourning activities or flowers were seen at Tamar, Government House and Beijing’s liaison office in Hong Kong.
A plainclothes police officer stationed outside the liaison office said flowers were not allowed as staff “feared they would obstruct pedestrians”.
A homemaker, who only gave the surname Chan, said she passed by the office building with her three-year-old son this morning, but had not noticed the national flag was flying at half-mast, nor did she know the reason behind it.
