Cao, a four-year doctoral candidate in chemistry at the University of Hong Kong, also felt this year's calm and festive vibe, a contrast to last year's chaotic scenes on campuses during the social unrest.
Standing with his classmates at the city's central pier on Thursday to watch the parade, Cao said, "It feels like dawn for Hong Kong." They carried small national flags and waved to the parade.
The student is glad to see the city's campuses and society gradually returned to calm with the National Security Law coming into effect on June 30.
He recalled that in November, many students were forced to leave campus and even the city when the campuses of Hong Kong universities were occupied by the radical protesters. He said he was astonished to learn that 40 percent of those arrested in relation to the social unrest were students.
"I hope that Hong Kong can strengthen national identity and law-abiding education. I believe that Hong Kong is still a society of the rule of law," he said.
Also at Central Pier, Yu Yat-shing, a retired driver in his 60s, carried his full set of cameras and lenses to film the flyover and sea parade by Hong Kong's Disciplined Services — a National Day tradition of over 10 years.
Yu said he will use his lenses to record the annual parade on July 1 and Oct 1 every year to capture the festive moments.
Yu said he had been looking forward this year to looking from the distance at the fleet of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison at the new Central Military Dock, which was handed over to the garrison on Tuesday.
