A Hong Kong model Thursday shows off a HK$500,000 (US$64,350) gift modeled on the Shenzhou V spacecraft, which will be given to taikonaut Yang Liwei in recognition of his historic space flight. The gift is made of 550 grams of gold and a cluster of diamonds.

An exhibition in Hong Kong featuring China's first space mission was rescheduled to run overnight after residents snapped up the 60,000 free tickets.

Long queues of space enthusiasts also snapped up the additional 27,000 tickets issued to meet the overwhelming demand for the exhibition at Hong Kong Space Museum.

Secretary for Home Affairs Patrick Ho said it was a historic event as a public museum in Hong Kong had never before provided overnight service.

China's first astronaut Yang Liwei, along with 25 delegation members, will arrive in Hong Kong on Friday night. They will attend the opening ceremony of the exhibition Saturday morning.

The Shenzhou V space capsule, Yang's space suit and samples of his space meals will be on display at the four-day exhibition.

Yang and space experts will speak about the development of China's aerospace program Monday in Hong Kong's City Hall.

The delegation will leave Hong Kong for Macao next Wednesday.

The exhibition will also draw space enthusiasts from Shenzhen and other mainland cities. Travel agencies have launched space mission tours to Hong Kong.

(Xinhua News Agency October 30, 2003)