A Reminiscence f The Nineties

By GERALD TAN

1st July 1997: The Great Britain's 99-year lease on the New Territories of Hong Kong ends, thus returned to China in effect.

Before

Growing up, I've watched several movies, both in English and Chinese centered around the Hong Kong's return to China in 1997. But the real handover proved to be less dramatic. For 156 years, Hong Kong has straddled two empires and two worlds. It is a history of conflict and compromise; of East and West; of haves and have-nots. In the early 1800s, Hong Kong was nothing more than a village, inhabited mostly by farmers, fishermen and pirates. Through the Treaty of Nanking in August 1842, Hong Kong was "to be possessed in perpetuity by her Britannic Majesty, her heirs and successors". Hong Kong, at that time, was, a seemingly worthless island.

It was only in the 1850s and '60s that Hong Kong's began to prosper. Refugees from China who flooded into the territory helped the colony evolve from a trading outpost into a settlement and it was then that the society began to divide, into wealthy Westerners and the poor Chinese.

Hong Kong did not last long during World War II, easilly overrun by Japan. But upon Japanese surrendor in 1945, British troops quickly took control of the area.

In 1960, Hong Kong's population had grown to 3 million. Through the sixties, as Hong Kong prospered from rapid growth and a strong economy, the spirit of China's Cultural Revolution crossed over the border.

It was in the late 1970s that Hong Kong began to focus on the issue of its future. The colony's officials and business people realized they could no longer put off the question of what would happen to the New Territories, which makes up more than 90 percent of Hong Kong's land area. The New Territories were leased to Britain by China in 1898, for 99 years. That lease was set to expire on July 1, 1997.

In 1982, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's call for British administration of Hong Kong after 1997 was rejected by Chinese officials.

After months of negotiations, both sides agreed in 1984 to Beijing's proposal for a Joint Declaration -- making Hong Kong a Special Administrative Region, with its own distinct laws, freedoms and way of life. The S.A.R. would exist until 2047, 50 years after the British handover.

The Union and Hong Kong flags are lowered,
marking the end of 156 years of British administration in Hong Kong.

The President of the People's Republic of China, Mr. Jiang Zemin,
and His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, shake hands at the conclusion
of the Handover Ceremony.

The Takeover

When Hong Kong reverts to Chinese control, Deng said, China would become "one country, two systems." Hong Kong would thus become a Special Administrative Region with a "high degree of autonomy." Socialism, as it is practiced in China, would have no place in Hong Kong. Capitalism, and its lifestyle, would remain unchanged in Hong Kong for 50 years.

As Hong Kong is one of the region's business hubs, she will remain as a free port and trading partner governed by the international rule of law. She will also remain as an individual member of the World Trade Organization, APEC and other economic organizations.

A general survey conducted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong(1995), showed that 91% of the respondents felt that Hong Kong's business environment would remain favourable for the next three years. Out of the 91%, nearly half said that they would expand their operations during that period.

Hong Kong Evening Skyline View

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After

Many of Hong Kong's policies remain. People are still be able to travel freely to and from Hong Kong, her budget and business remains, the Hong Kong dollar is still the legal tender.

The Chinese national flag and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region flag flutter in an artificial breeze after being hoisted at the Handover Ceremony.

Representatives of the Chinese and British governments pose for a photograph at the end of the Handover Ceremony.

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Produced by the ThinkQuest Team 18220: Gerald Tan, Ryan Lim and Trishank Karthik