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