Hong Kong celebrates 27th anniversary of handover to China
After approximately 150 years of British colonial rule, Hong Kong was incorporated into China on July 1, 1997. On the 27th anniversary, Beijing gifts the city a pair of Giant Pandas. Hong Kong's Chief Executive John Lee announced the gift and stated that it symbolizes China's "care and support for our city". The Pandas are expected to arrive in the coming months. In addition, Lee praised the passing of the Hong Kong Security Law in March, which now coexists with a national security law imposed by Beijing.
Lee declared that a "constitutional responsibility and historical mission" had been fulfilled. Hong Kong, a Chinese Special Administrative Region, was previously known as a bastion of freedom of speech in China. Upon the return of the former British colony to China on July 1, 1997, Beijing pledged to uphold the principle "one country, two systems," which guaranteed numerous civil liberties for 50 years, securing Hong Kong's status as a global financial hub.
The 1st of July was previously a day when civil society demonstrations took place in Hong Kong. However, authorities have been cracking down on dissenting opinions. According to a report by the South China Morning Post, over 4000 police officers are now deployed in the city. A concert by Hong Kong singer and LGBTQ activist Denise Ho, which was streamed online on Sunday, was disrupted by the police.
Ho, along with five others, was sentenced to a fine in November 2022 for allegedly setting up an irregular defense fund to finance the legal defense of pro-democratic protesters arrested in 2019.
- The historical transition of Hong Kong from Great Britain's colonial rule to becoming a Chinese Special Administrative Region under the principle of "one country, two systems" was a major shift in Global Politics.
- Despite Hong Kong's past as a bastion of freedom of speech in China, the city's politics have seen a significant shift after its return from British rule, with tighter restrictions on dissenting opinions.
- Beijing's gift of a pair of Giant Pandas to Hong Kong on its 27th anniversary of incorporation into China is a symbol of China's continued colonial rule, as observed during the Colonial rule of Great Britain, but with a different approach towards Hong Kong.
