| June 30, 2007, is an unforgettable part | | | | Territories, together with some 235 |
| of history for Britain as it is the 10th | | | | islands, were leased to Britain for 99 |
| anniversary of the controversial | | | | years commencing July 1, 1898. Hong |
| handover of Hong Kong to China. For the | | | | Kong's population expanded rapidly from |
| British it was the loss of the most | | | | 120,000 in 1861 to more than 300,000 by |
| valuable of her few remaining vestiges | | | | the end of the 19th century. In the |
| of empire. For China it was the | | | | early 20th century its population |
| acquisition of a prize that gave her a | | | | expanded even faster as it became an |
| bustling, thriving financial hub, a | | | | economic and political refuge from |
| portal into the Western capitalist | | | | China, and yet further as a result of |
| world, complete with its own stock | | | | people seeking refuge from the |
| exchange index, the Hang Seng. | | | | Sino-Japanese War of 1937. After the |
| Negotiating the transfer proved to be | | | | Second World War (when Hong Kong was |
| one of the more painful episodes of | | | | temporarily lost by Britain to Japan), |
| Britain's withdrawal from her former | | | | immigrant labor was used to establish |
| colonial status. As the 99-year lease | | | | such light industries as textiles and |
| drew to an end, the two parties | | | | plastics. Throughout the West, the |
| negotiated hard. The British eventually | | | | labels "Made in Hong Kong" or "Empire |
| accepted Chinese premier Deng Xiaoping's | | | | Made" (often the same thing), became |
| "one country, two systems" formula, | | | | bywords for cheap and shoddy goods. Yet, |
| which allowed Hong Kong a high degree of | | | | as with larger Eastern neighbors such as |
| commercial and social autonomy and | | | | Japan, the hardworking entrepreneurs and |
| guaranteed its capitalistic structure | | | | laborers of Hong Kong effected an |
| for 50 years. At midnight on June 30, | | | | economic transformation. Poor housing |
| 1997, after 156 years of British rule, | | | | and oppressive labor conditions improved |
| the union flag was lowered, folded, and | | | | from the end of the 1960s, and |
| handed to Chris Patten, governor of the | | | | high-technology industries such as |
| tiny colony. The sadness of the handover | | | | electronics developed. Relationships |
| was reflected in the tears of the | | | | between Hong Kong and China gained |
| governor's wife and daughters, and he | | | | strength, and--despite the setback of a |
| fought to hold back his own emotions. | | | | financial collapse in 1973--Hong Kong |
| The heavy rain seemed to magnify the | | | | developed into a major financial and |
| poignancy of the occasion, as did the | | | | light industrial hub. What is now |
| unhappy faces of gathered dignitaries, | | | | mainland Hong Kong is 422 square miles, |
| including Prince Charles, British Prime | | | | while Hong Kong island itself, and |
| Minister Tony Blair, and two former | | | | smaller adjacent islets, are just 35 |
| British premiers, Margaret Thatcher and | | | | square miles in area. The vexing |
| Edward Heath. Prince Charles summed up | | | | question of British jurisdiction over |
| the mood in a diary entry, referring to | | | | the leased areas of the New Territories |
| the event as "the great Chinese | | | | began to loom large as the lease |
| takeaway." Hong Kong is an ancient | | | | approached its 1997 expiration date. The |
| island settlement with archaeological | | | | Chinese-British joint declaration on the |
| artifacts dating back to Neolithic | | | | future of Hong Kong was, however, agreed |
| times. When the British arrived in 1821 | | | | in 1984. There followed further |
| it had very little to commend it, as it | | | | difficult negotiations between Hong Kong |
| lacked good soil or even fresh water. | | | | and China on the details of future |
| The main habitation at the time was a | | | | Chinese rule and the territory's special |
| small fishing village, but the island | | | | status. Nonetheless, the basic structure |
| has an excellent natural, deep and | | | | of law for Hong Kong was ratified by its |
| sheltered harbor with two entrances | | | | National People's Congress in April |
| ("Hong Kong" means "fragrant harbor"). | | | | 1990. On the day of the handover, July |
| The British realized its great | | | | 1, 1997, a token detachment of Chinese |
| potential, lying as it does on a major | | | | troops rolled into Hong Kong. But so |
| trading route. Initially, Hong Kong was | | | | far, the Chinese have recognized the |
| used primarily for the notorious opium | | | | unique and mutual benefit that results |
| trade, and after the First Opium War | | | | from the territory's current status, and |
| (1832-1841), the Chinese ceded the | | | | the mutual benefits accruing from the |
| island to Britain. Following the Second | | | | agreed "one country, two systems" |
| Opium War (1856-1860), the Chinese had | | | | formula. Hong Kong continues to prosper, |
| to relinquish the Kou-lung (Kowloon) | | | | albeit timorously, 10 years after the |
| peninsula, giving the British an | | | | historic handover. |
| important link to the mainland. Through | | | | More articles from this pro: F. |
| the Convention of 1898, the New | | | | |