Hong Kong return to China newspaper collection

On July 1, 1997, Hong Kong returned to China after 156 years as a British colony, save for a period of Japanese occupation from 1941-1945 during World War II. China officially ceded the island of Hong Kong to The British Empire during the First Opium War in 1841 with the Chuenpi Convention and subsequent 1842 Treaty of Nanjing. In 1889, over fifty years later, the Second Convention of Peking, also known as the Convention for the Extension of the Hong Kong Territory, concluded with the agreement that the United Kingdom would lease Hong Kong from China for ninety-nine years from July 1, 1898 to July 1, 1997. Meaning, the United Kingdom would continue to occupy and govern Hong Kong but was expected to hand over the land and its people to China on July 1, 1997. As a British colonial territory, Hong Kong served as an invaluable trading and distribution port for the British Empire.

Following negotiations between Britain and China on the future of Hong Kong, the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration outlined the terms for the handover. The agreement required that Hong Kong would keep some of its autonomy and the people’s social, political, and religious lifestyle would remain untouched. Additionally, Hong Kong would continue to have a capitalist economy rather than adopting China’s economic policies. China would have control in matters pertaining to foreign relations and defense. The arrangement surrounding the new special administrative region was described by political leaders as “one country, two systems.” These stipulations and agreements would be honored for fifty years following the official transfer of Hong Kong. The agreements, however, did not completely soothe political tensions and anxieties in Hong Kong. People in Hong Kong continued to harbor fear over the possibility that China would restrict political speech and movements following the handover despite the agreement.

The peaceable transfer of Hong Kong was marked in a ceremony attended by numerous Chinese, British, and international politicians and dignitaries. Today, Hong Kong currently stands as a Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China.

Newspaper bibliography information provided by Cecilia Zhang, KU Chinese Studies Librarian with biographical information taken from "How Hong Kong Came Under 'One Country, Two Systems' Rule.