What were the attitudes of Great Britain, China and Hong Kong to the hand over of Hong Kong to China in June 1997?

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Sharon Chahal 11A

What were the attitudes of Great Britain, China and Hong Kong to the hand over of Hong Kong to China in June 1997?  

China was concerned about the rapid increase of opium in China; the Chinese Government sought to eradicate the drug trade. Chinese officials at Canton confiscated opium belonging to British merchants and trade was banned. This led the two nations to war. China subsequently lost the war, as it couldn’t defeat the British Navy. Hong Kong was forcefully given to Britain in 1842 under the Treaty of Nanking. In 1898 a 99-year lease of Hong Kong to Britain was signed. This meant that Hong Kong would belong to Britain for 99 years and after this 99 years Hong Kong would be handed back to China.

The British attitudes towards the hand over of Hong Kong were quite serious and emotional. The British were not only upset about the hand over but also proud as they had built up Hong Kong from a small fishing port into a thriving rich country with major businesses, “Hong Kong used to be desolate, but became the empires greatest prize”- BBC News Report.

The British felt that the hand over in 1997 was a poignant day to reflect on the time they spent in Hong Kong. The British were quite upset about the hand over this is represented by the fact that the ‘Last Post’ was played when the British flag was been taken down. The ‘Last Post’ is played at funerals’ and Remembrance Day and other sad occasions.

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Chris Patten also portrayed the British attitudes towards the hand over. Chris Patten was the governor of Hong Kong for 5 years and on the day of the hand over he was very emotional, not only was he emotional but his daughters were crying as well this shows that British saw the hand over as a day of sadness. Chris Patten made a final speech in which he suggested that Britain would watch China and its running of Hong Kong. “Hong Kong people are to run Hong Kong” this could also be implied as a threat towards China so ...

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