Speech by CE at 2025 International Chinese New Year Night Parade (with photos)

     Following is the speech by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, at the 2025 International Chinese New Year Night Parade tonight (January 29):

(Cantonese)
 
��嘉賓���市民：
 
　　今日是乙巳蛇年大年�一，我首先和大家拜年，���新一年身體�康��事���
 
　　我很高興今晚跟��市民和來自海內外的旅客，一起歡�在璀璨奪目的維多利亞港地標，�與一年一度由香港旅�發展局舉辦的「新春國際匯演之夜�。
 
　　今年匯演的主題是「如�新春　喜樂連連�，由�架�入了節慶和香港地�元素的特色花車，連�來自香港�內地和世界�地的表演隊�，一共55個表演團體組�。「新春國際匯演之夜�是香港在�年新春期間的首項盛事，展�香港作為盛事之都的澎湃活力，將新年的喜悅和��帶給�場�一�朋�，並��電視和網上直播傳�給全�觀眾。
 
　　去年，訪港旅客數字接近4 500�，按年大�超�三�，香港市�更添熱鬧。新一年，香港會繼續好事連連�喜樂連連���連連，譜寫更多香港好故事�

　　�蛇�瑞�滿城。蛇象徵堅韌機智�蛻變�新，寓�新一年香港�象更新，�活識變。我�願香港在蛇年�榮昌盛，百業興旺，大家幸��康，生活美滿� 我�在用普通話歡迎內地的朋�。
 
(Putonghua)
 
　　��朋�，大家新年好�我代表香港特別行政�政府，歡迎��在香港共慶春節，��大家蛇年�祥�身體�康�
 
　　今年是國家申報的「春節——中國人慶ç¥�傳統新年的社會實è¸�ã€�，列入è�¯å�ˆåœ‹æ•™ç§‘文組織「é�žé�ºä»£è¡¨ä½œå��錄ã€�的第一個春節，為節慶活動更添姿彩。
 
　　香港是全�慶�春節氣氛最濃厚的地方之一，今晚的匯演更是香港在蛇年的第一項盛事。今晚的主題是「如�新春　喜樂連連�，特色花車與來自香港�內地和世界�地的隊�，將為大家呈��麗繽紛的匯演，�全世界展�香港這個盛事之都的無�活力�
 
　　香港全年「盛事連連�，新春慶�活動精彩紛呈。今晚演出後，花車和匯演將轉到大埔林�許願廣場，讓大家�許願樹祈願的�時，更�以跟花車「打��。明天大年�二晚上，維港兩岸將上演煙花匯演，加上大年�三的新年賽馬日�大年�四的足�賀歲盃，以�全港����特色的節慶活動，��玩樂，應有盡有�我邀請大家新春�期在香港多留幾天，體驗春節在這個國際都會的「正確打開方��，享�香港的�特魅力和特色景點，「沉浸��感�連連的喜樂和��。�在我用英語歡迎從外國來的朋�。
 
　　Let me now say a few words in English to welcome our friends from different parts of the world. Hello, Hong Kong! Hello, friends from different parts of the world!
　　 
　　Welcome to the annual Hong Kong International Chinese New Year Night Parade, on this, the first fabulous day of the Chinese New Year – the Year of the Snake.
　　 
　　There's no better way, anywhere on earth, to welcome in the New Year than by following – and revelling in – Hong Kong's magnificent Chinese New Year Night Parade.
　　 
　　This year's celebration is led by 55 performing groups and floats from 14 countries and regions. Here in the world city of Hong Kong, to dance, sing and perform, skip, juggle, cheerlead and otherwise amaze and delight you, on this most auspicious of days.
　　 
　　And the Night Parade is just the start of our New Year's festivities. Tomorrow night, a 23-minute fireworks display will light up our world-renowned Victoria Harbour. Our sky will be filled with auspicious symbols, as well as adorable pandas – showcasing Hong Kong's giant panda family, now counting six and readying for their first full public appearance at the same time in mid-February.
　　 
　　And, alongside the horses at Chinese New Year Raceday, in Sha Tin on January 31, you'll want to catch the lions – and lion dancers – on show, part of a fun-filled day at the track.
　　 
　　The Night Parade floats you see tonight, together with some of our performers, will find their way to Lam Tsuen, from tomorrow night, for the Hong Kong Well-wishing Festival. This year, the floats are on display there until February 13.
　　 
　　Only in Hong Kong, the world's East-meets-West centre for cultural exchange – and day-and-night entertainment. All around town, you'll be greeted by the magnificent spectacle of our festivities, and the warm hospitality of the people of Hong Kong, as we share the joy of the New Year with all of you.
　　 
　　I wish you all a happy, healthy and eventful Year of the Snake. Kung Hei Fat Choi! Thank you and enjoy the evening.
　　 
(Cantonese/Putonghua)
 
　　�次歡迎大家，共�分享今晚的歡樂時刻。