China Daily Hong Kong edition celebrates 20 years of success

Since its establishment in 1997, the China Daily Hong Kong Edition has been a witness, facilitator and contributor to the city's dazzling economic growth, growing international influence and stronger integration with the Chinese mainland. Let's stroll down memory lane with CDHK by revisiting select front pages - snapshots of historic moments - to mark the days of joy, happiness and sadness with CDHK.

By launching its Hong Kong edition on October 6, 1997, China Daily — China's only national English-language newspaper, officially debuted in the city and became the first and only national newspaper approved to publish a local edition in the city after it returned to the motherland in 1997.

Then-president Jiang Zemin, then-Premier Li Peng, and then-chairman of the Standing Committee on the National People's Congress, Qiao Shi, expressed their blessings to CDHK. In this policy address he said that Hong Kong's long-term stability and prosperity were closely linked to the Chinese mainland and addressed various aspects of residents' concerns, such as economic projects, housing, elderly care, and education. He pledged that the government would increase the housing supply to at least flats a year, known as the 85,000 policy, which received widespread attention and discussion in Hong Kong. Tung's address was called the first blueprint of Hong Kong for the 21st century by some scholars and received a lot of praise from the media.