Short History Of Hong Kong and Culture

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Short History Of Hong Kong and Culture
Travel tips for your trip to Hong Kong Hotel Maps Famous Places in Hong Kong helps you to make your trip to Hong Kong in the holiday a Splendid One

Hong Kong was part of China before coming under British administration as a result of the 19th-century Opium Wars. After the ‘First Opium War’ when peace terms were drawn up, Hong Kong Island was ceded by China to Britain under the Treaty of Nanking in 1842. The full territory we now know as Hong Kong was settled in 1898, with a 99-year lease till the handover in 1997. The colony was under full British control for this period apart from a four-year gap under Japanese occupation during WWII.

Hong Kong was returned to China as a ‘Special Administrative Region’ where it is now governed by the unique principle of "one country, two systems" proposed by then paramount leader of China, Deng Xiaoping. This principle allows Hong Kong to enjoy a high degree of autonomy, retaining its independent judiciary, rule of law, free trade and freedom of speech.

Much has changed since 1841 when then British foreign secretary Lord Palmerston described Hong Kong as ‘nothing but a barren island without a house upon it'. From a collection of small fishing villages Hong Kong has transformed itself into one of the most engaging and unexpectedly beautiful urban spectacles on earth, while retaining the beauty of its natural surroundings.

The iconic Victoria Harbour has been key to the development of the territory as a trading port and entry point into China.

Old colonial monuments can still be found such as the statue of Queen Victoria in Victoria Park, Murray Building in Stanley and in Central’s Statue Square. Modern day equivalents dot the famous skyline such as the Bank of China Building, HSBC Building and the International Finance Centre (IFC).

Hong Kong’s unique fusion of East and West, traditional and contemporary makes it one of Asia’s top travel destinations.