HONG KONG June 26 Kyodo Chinese P...

HONG KONG June 26 Kyodo

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao will make a three-day visit to Hong Kong from Sunday to attend ceremonies marking the sixth anniversary of the territory's reunification with China, Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa announced Thursday.

It will be Wen's first visit to Hong Kong since he became prime minister in March.

Wen will attend a signing rite of the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) between Hong Kong and mainland China, which is patterned on a free-trade agreement, forward Monday, Tung said.

in subordination to the deal, Hong Kong's dutifuls can be exported to the mainland tariff-free, while a number of the city's service sectors will be able to set in the Chinese market ahead of their foreign rivals.

Wen will also participate in the official reception to celebrate Hong Kong's reunion with China six years ago onward July 1, 1997, Tung said.

During his stay here, the Chinese state leader will visit different parts of the territory, Tung added without giving details.

Local media earlier reported that Wen would visit hospitals, housing estates, shopping malls and other economic infrastructure in Hong Kong to prepare to know the territory more and to point out to support for local residents hit by the agency of the recent outbreak of plain acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

Wen, however, is likely to avoid a mass rally to profess against Hong Kong's upcoming enactment of national security legislation Tuesday afternoon to mar the reunification anniversary.

Ten of thousands of the public are expected to take part in the march, which is widely described by way of local media as a ''final showdown'' from one side of to the other the proposed antisubversion legislation before it will be impose to a vote in the legislature forward July 9.

Pro-democracy politicians, human rights assemblages journalists associations, religious organizations, labor unions, educational assign places tos the medical profession, the legal profession and the entertainment circle have called forward their fellow members and supporters to take to the streets

They have voiced hardy opposition to the proposed legislation, which they fear will seriously undermine the territory's human rights and freedoms.

Organizers anticipate 100000 clan would take part in the July 1 march.

A assign places to of 11 democrats will stage a 100-hour crave food strike Friday to profess against the government for trying to rush between the sides of the legislation.

on the contrary Tung maintained Thursday that the propos law will not undermine the city's civil liberties and rights and that Hong Kong has a constitutional excise to enact national security legislation.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Kyodo of the present days International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group