Hong Kong’s first astronaut Lai Ka-ying has expressed her best wishes for the 29th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region from China's Tiangong space station, according to a short video released by Xinhua News Agency on Wednesday.

Lai said in the video that she felt very honored to be able to showcase the HKSAR’s flag at the space station while expressing her deep gratitude to the nation and also her best wishes for the HKSAR.

Lai, a local payload specialist for the Shenzhou XXIII manned spaceflight, is the first female civilian in the country to go into orbit and also the first astronaut from the HKSAR.

A superintendent and technical specialist with the Hong Kong Police Force, Lai lifted off into space on May 24, along with mission commander and spaceflight engineer Colonel Zhu Yangzhu, and spacecraft pilot Colonel Zhang Zhiyuan.

The Shenzhou XXIII crew is tasked with operating and maintaining the Tiangong space station, conducting scientific and technological experiments, carrying out spacewalks to install and retrieve equipment, and taking part in educational activities.