Hong Kong Since the Turnover

From 1841 to 1997, Hong Kong was under the rule of the United Kingdom. This period (excluding the Japanese occupation) is called “British Hong Kong,” a period in which Hong Kong was a crown colony of the United Kingdom. In 1981, British Hong Kong was appointed as a British Dependent Territory.

On July 1, 1997, the United Kingdom’s sovereignty over Hong Kong was turned over to China. This is called “the Handover” or “the Return” which is believed to have marked the fall of the British Empire.

Hong Kong went through a lot of cultural, economic, and political changes under the British rule. The economy of Hong Kong under British rule flourished because the country became an epicenter of international trade. The languages spoken in Hong Kong reflect British and Chinese influence. When Hong Kong was turned over to China, its government implemented a bi-literate and tri-lingual policy which dictates people to read and write in two official languages (Chinese and English) and to speak three languages (Cantonese, Putonghua, and English).

Since the British occupation and the turnover, Hong Kong has been divided by the faction between people who are pro-China and people who are anti-Chinese rule. Although the British rule over Hong Kong may have had positive implications, many people in Hong Kong, especially anti-imperialists, were against the British colonization. Similarly, the turnover of Hong Kong to China has also been met with criticisms.

Since the turnover, Hong Kong underwent rapid changes under China. The government has worked with Chinese government officials in an attempt to establish stronger ties with mainland China through changes in infrastructure, education system, and business relations.

Since 2012, the education system in China shifted its focus away from the English model. “God Save the Queen,” the British national anthem was no longer played after the closedown of televisions stations since it was replaced by the Chinese national anthem, “March of the Volunteers.”

It has been 20 years since the turnover. On July 1, 2017, Chinese President Xi Jinping flew to Hong Kong to mark the turnover’s 20th anniversary and to swear in Hong Kong’s new chief executive. Every year, groups from opposing sides commemorate the turnover in their own ways. This year, pro-Beijing activists celebrated the turnover while pro-democracy groups conducted demonstrations to show their stance against the Chinese rule and their commitment to democracy.