President Xi Jinping hailed China’s rule over Hong Kong on July 1 as he led 25th anniversary celebrations of the city’s handover from Britain.
- It marks the halfway point of the 50-year governance model agreed by Britain and China under which Hong Kong would keep autonomy and key freedoms, known as One Country, Two Systems (OCTS).
About Hong Kong
- The British Government took control of Hong Kong in 1842 after First Opium War 1839-42.
- In 1898, British signed ‘Second Convention of Peking’ with Chinese Qing Dynasty’ gaining rights to control Hong Kong and islands surrounding it on 99 years lease.
- In 1984, ‘Sino-British Joint Declaration’ treaty was signed between the UK and China.
- It set out modalities under which Hong Kong was to be transferred to China and its governance, laying down basic principles of “One Country-Two Systems”, originally enunciated by Deng Xiaoping to unify Taiwan with the mainland .
- It was was meant to integrate former colonies of Hong Kong and Macau with China.
- The ‘Basic Law’ which came into effect on July 1, 1997 became a constitutional document to provide legal framework for Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) to retain its unique character for a period of 50 years, post-merger with Main land China.
- It guarantees fundamental rights, freedom of communication, religious beliefs and independent judicial system.
- Since China imposed a national security law on Hong Kong in 2020, opposition has been quashed and most leading pro-democracy figures have fled the country, been disqualified from office or jailed.
About Macau Special Administrative Region
- The Macau Special Administrative Region, a tiny former Portuguese colony, uses the same political model as Hong Kong – “one country, two systems”.
- The system guarantees a “high degree of autonomy” for the regions for 50 years with China maintaining control of defence and foreign affairs.
- It was leased to Portugal in 1557 and officially became a Portuguese colony in 1887.
- In 1987, Portugal and China signed the Sino-Portuguese joint declaration which said the territory would be returned to China on 20 December, 1999.
- Under one country, two systems, Macau has its own government, legal and financial affairs.
- It has its own local currency, the patacas, and differing local laws, including legal gambling, which makes up a huge chunk of the economy.
- Ordinary citizens do not have a direct say in the appointment of the chief executive, the same as Hong Kong.
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