A national flag-raising ceremony is held at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on Sept 20, 2026. [Photo by Chen Zebing/chinadaily.com.cn]

About 1,200 delegates from Hong Kong and Macao, including students, officials, and teachers, attended the national flag-raising ceremony at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on Sunday as part of a five-day "Salute the National Flag" activity aimed at deepening patriotic education.

Liang Kaicheng, a student from Macao's Fong Chong School of Taipa, said, "I'm really excited. It's my first time in Beijing and my first time attending the national flag-raising ceremony at Tiananmen Square. It is nothing like watching it back at school. Seeing our national flag rise slowly in the capital is something to be proud of."

Kuang Chun-wan, a student from Hong Kong's Pui Kiu Middle School, expressed his excitement and deep emotion after witnessing the ceremony.

Representatives from flag-raising teams of universities, secondary, and primary schools in Hong Kong and Macao attend the flag-raising ceremony at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on Sept 20, 2026. [Photo by Chen Zebing/chinadaily.com.cn]

"The most impressive and exciting thing for me was singing the national anthem together with our compatriots from Hong Kong and Macao, and with mainland compatriots in the audience. It made me feel the unity of the Chinese nation and the inseparable bond between the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong. I hope to help promote integration across the Greater Bay Area and to use our spirit, technology, and abilities to help our motherland — especially the Greater Bay Area — reach new heights and build a stronger economy," he said.

The visit, scheduled from Friday to Tuesday, also included tours of the Great Hall of the People, the Palace Museum, and the National Museum of China. The delegation was divided into six groups to visit primary and secondary schools and universities in Beijing, with dedicated study visits to cultural, science and technology venues, enterprises, and rural communities, among other sites.

Teachers and student representatives pose for group photos after the flag-raising ceremony on Sept 20, 2026. [Photo by Chen Zebing/chinadaily.com.cn]

Teachers and student representatives pose for group photos after the flag-raising ceremony on Sept 20, 2026. [Photo by Chen Zebing/chinadaily.com.cn]