China's first astronaut Yang Liwei sent a message to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government on Thursday, expressing thanks for the invitation and warm welcome he received from Hong Kong residents during his recent visit to Hong Kong.

Two weeks after completing his space trip on Oct. 16, Yang, together with other members of the Delegation of China's First Manned Space Mission, paid a visit to Hong Kong from Oct. 31 to Nov. 6.

According to a press release of the HKSAR government on Thursday, Yang Liwei said in the letter that "The fortnight after I left Hong Kong, the beauty of the 'Oriental Pearl' was still vivid in my mind. Please allow me to express once again the hearty thanks to Chief Executive Tung Chee Hwa and the HKSAR government for their invitation and to Hong Kong compatriots for their rapturous welcome and hospitality!"

Yang said "All this will be treasured in my memory and encourage me and my colleagues to continue to climb the peaks of manned space challenges and to achieve new successes for the motherland."

He expressed the belief that under the leadership of Tung Chee Hwa and the HKSAR government, Hong Kong people would surely build a more beautiful Hong Kong with unremitting effort.

(Xinhua News Agency November 20, 2003)