Yang, 38, and 25 Chinese officials and scientists from China's aerospace programme arrived at Hong Kong's international airport amid heavy security to be warmly greeted by hundreds of residents waving Hong Kong and Chinese flags.

Yang waved, smiled and accepted flower bouquets from four children wearing astronaut attire before being whisked away by a horde of security guards.

One student who had waited patiently with his elementary school classmates to welcome Yang told reporters "Yang is my hero because he is the first Chinese man to go into space."

Earlier, organisers had struggled to move the Shenzhou V spacecraft's return capsule and landing parachute to the science mueseum in the tourist-belt of Tsim Sha Tsui for a space exhibition.

The four-day exhibition, also featuring the astronaut's spacesuit and space food, is costing the government 10 million Hong Kong dollars (1.28 million US).

The estimated 80,000 free exhibition tickets have been quickly snapped up by local residents eager for a glimpse of Yang.

The delegation were invited to the territory by the Hong Kong government and analysts say Yang's visit is aimed at lifting nationalist sentiments in the former British colony and providing a boost for embattled Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa.

Tung will host a dinner for Yang later Friday at Government House.

Yang will attend the opening ceremony of an exhibition on China's first manned space mission at the Science Museum on Saturday.

A variety show, expected to attract 40,000 people, will be held to welcome Yang at the Hong Kong Stadium later Saturday with local celebrities such as film star Jackie Chan and a host of canto-pop stars expected to perform.

Yang will also meet students and teachers in lectures planned on November 3 and 4.

Yang safely landed in northern China's Inner Mongolia on October 16 after a 21-hour flight to make China the third country to send a man into space after the United States and Russia.

SPACE.WIRE