Published on : 05 May 20204 min reading time
It should be noted that there is a certain resemblance between the people of Hong Kong and China. Being both parts of the Asian continent, people often tend to confuse them. What about the correlation between the two countries? How much territory is occupied by China and Hong Kong? These are the questions that arise.
Geographical location and demographics of Hong Kong
Hong Kong is generally an island, the second largest island that makes up China, about 133 km southeast of Guangzhou. It is made up of bas-reliefs and most of Hong Kong’s territory is covered with forests or short grass. With the emergence of the New Territories, there are approximately 236 islands in the region. It should also be noted that the name of the city of Hong Kong comes from the name of the island of Hong Kong which means “scented port” or “port with perfume”. In addition, Hong Kong is considered the fourth largest city in China today, with a high population density. The island is located on the southern coast of China and is situated at the mouth of the Xi Jiang River. However, even though this area is overpopulated, it is part of the most expensive city in the world and the richest city in China. Hong Kong has a subtropical climate with a hot and very rainy summer (presence of typhoons and storms). Precipitation and frost are rare in winter, sometimes accompanied by snowfall.
History of Hong Kong before its attachment to China
The history of Hong Kong and China has not always been correlated. Before Hong Kong was ceded to China, the people of Hong Kong underwent several changes. Indeed, this region has been the subject of several conquests, several dynasties, several battles, many explorations, and even until colonization. But, what has most marked this period before the attachment of Hong Kong to China is the British occupation of Hong Kong territory in the mid-nineteenth century. Following the first Opium War, China ceded the city of Hong Kong and the Kowloon peninsula to the British in perpetuity. Hong Kong thus became an English colony. The United Kingdom made this territory a strategic Asian base for trade. But with the development of the Hong Kong territory that gave birth to the New Territories, China and the United Kingdom entered into a 99-year long lease.
After the handover: what is the relationship between China and Hong Kong?
As the borders between Hong Kong and China are very close, their separation becomes almost impossible after the birth of the New Territories in 1898. During British colonial rule, Hong Kong was governed by a governor elected in London. However, following the victory of the communists in 1949, after the Second World War, China wanted to retake Hong Kong and let the British know. Moreover, with 80% representation, the New Territories were too big for the British to maintain. As a result, a meeting between the British and China for the handover of the entire territory of Hong Kong took place in 1979. Also, on July 1, 1997, the handover of Hong Kong to China was officially proclaimed and the 99-year lease was terminated under certain conditions. Hong Kong became Chinese territory. As a result of this handover, even though Hong Kong was taken over by China, the People’s Republic of China maintained the economic, legislative and liberal way of life of the Hong Kong people for the next 50 years. This policy is called the “one country, two systems” policy.
Other information about Hong Kong
Since the handover of Hong Kong, it has become one of the four Asian dragons along with Taiwan, Singapore and South Korea, as it is one of the richest cities in Asia. With the “one country, two systems” system, Hong Kong retains its monetary value (the Hong Kong dollar) as well as its international sports teams. Between Hong Kong and China, political, economic, judicial and administrative organizations also differ. On the legal level, Hong Kong keeps its legal system established during its colonization: the rules of “common law”. For China, the system in force is civil law. As far as political organisation is concerned, the Hong Kong Parliament is made up of the Legislative Council called “Legco” which is made up of 60 members appointed every four years. The island is governed by a Chief Executive for five years following an election and must be appointed by the Chinese president. Hong Kong has been under Chinese sovereignty for 20 years now and is not yet independent in terms of diplomacy and defence.