China marks Hong Kong handover anniversary with panda gift

China will gift a pair of giant pandas to Hong Kong as the finance hub marked its 27th year under Chinese rule, city leader John Lee announced Monday.

The former British colony was handed over to China in 1997 under a "One Country, Two Systems" governance model, which guaranteed key freedoms and a high degree of autonomy.

July 1 was once a day of civil society demonstrations in Hong Kong, but authorities have cracked down on dissent after huge and sometimes violent pro-democracy protests in 2019.

Lee said the gift "fully demonstrates (China's) care and support for our city" and that the pandas will arrive within months.

He also hailed the passage of a homegrown security law -- popularly known as Article 23 -- in March, which exists alongside a national security law imposed by Beijing in 2020.

The move fulfilled a "constitutional responsibility and historic mission", Lee said in a speech.

Lee added that his policies have led to a "substantial rise in the registered number of property transactions and a stable property market".

The city's GDP is expected to grow between 2.5 and 3.5 percent this year, compared to a 3.3 percent rise last year, Lee said.

More than 4,000 police officers were deployed around the city on Monday, according to the South China Morning Post.

An online concert on Sunday hosted by singer-songwriter and LGBTQ rights activist Denise Ho was interrupted by police citing "nuisance" complaints, according to AFP reporters at the scene.