Background Hong Kong, in 27 editions.

Occupied by the UK in 1841, Hong Kong was formally ceded by China the following year; various adjacent lands were added later in the 19th century. Pursuant to the an agreement signed by China and the UK
on 19 December 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 1 July 1997. Under the terms
of In this agreement, China has promised that that, under its "one country,
two systems" formula its formula, China's socialist economic system will not be
practiced in Hong Kong, Kong and that Hong Kong shall will enjoy a high degree
of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs. affairs for the next 50 years.

Occupied by the UK in 1841, Hong Kong was formally ceded by China the following year; various adjacent lands were added later in the 19th century. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and the UK on 19 December 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 1 July 1997. In this agreement, China has promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic system will not be practiced in imposed on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong will enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years.

Occupied by the UK in 1841, Hong Kong was formally ceded by China the following year; various adjacent lands were added later in the 19th century. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and the UK on 19 December 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 1 July 1997. In this agreement, China has promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic system will would not be imposed on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong will would enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years.

Occupied by the UK in 1841, Hong Kong was formally ceded by China the following year; various adjacent lands were added later in the 19th century. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and the UK on 19 December 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People's Republic of China on 1 July 1997. In this agreement, China promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic system would not be imposed on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong would enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years.

Occupied by the UK in 1841, Hong Kong was formally ceded by China the following year; various adjacent lands were added later in the 19th century. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and the UK on 19 December 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People's Republic of China on 1 July 1997. In this agreement, China promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic system would not be imposed on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong would enjoy a high "high degree of autonomy autonomy" in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next subsequent 50 years.

Occupied by the UK in 1841, Hong Kong was formally ceded by China the following year; various adjacent lands were added later in the 19th century. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and the UK on 19 December 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People's Republic of China on 1 July 1997. In this agreement, China promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic system would not be imposed on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong would enjoy a "high degree of autonomy" in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the subsequent 50 years.

Seized by the UK in 1841, Hong Kong was formally ceded by China the following year at the end of the First Opium War; the Kowloon Peninsula was added in 1860 at the end of the Second Opium War, and was further extended when Britain obtained a 99-year lease of the New Territories in 1898. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and the UK on 19 December 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of the People's Republic of China on 1 July 1997. In this agreement, China promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic and strict political system would not be imposed on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong would enjoy a "high degree of autonomy" in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the subsequent 50 years.
Since the turnover, Hong Kong has continued to enjoy success as an international financial center. However, dissatisfaction with the Hong Kong Government and growing Chinese political influence has been a central issue and led to considerable civil unrest. unrest, including large-scale pro-democracy demonstrations in 2019 after the HKSAR attempted to revise a local ordinance to allow extraditions to mainland China. In June 2020, response, the Chinese Government passed governments of the HKSAR and China took several actions that reduced the city's autonomy and placed new restrictions on the rights of Hong Kong residents, moves that were widely criticized to be in direct contravention of obligations under the Hong Kong Basic Law and the Sino-British Joint Declaration. Chief among these actions was a sweeping national security law for Hong Kong imposed by the Chinese Government in June 2020 that would criminalize criminalized acts such as those interpreted as secession, subversion, terrorism, and collusion with foreign or external forces. Critics said the The law effectively curtailed protests ushered in a widespread crackdown on public protests, criticism of authorities, and freedom of speech speech, and was widely viewed as reducing Hong Kong’s autonomy, while Beijing said it would return stability. The law was met with widespread international condemnation and criticism that it effectively ended the "one country, two systems" guiding principle of Hong Kong’s Basic Law. Since its passing, authorities have used the law by authorities to detain target pro-democracy activists activists, organizations, and politicians, oust opposition lawmakers, media companies. Democratic lawmakers and raid political figures were arrested, while others fled abroad. At the same time, dozens of civil society groups and several independent media offices. outlets were closed or have disbanded. In March 2021, Beijing reduced imposed a more restrictive electoral system, including restructuring the number Legislative Council (LegCo) and allowing only government-approved candidates to run for office, claiming it was to ensure a system of directly elected "patriots" governed Hong Kong. The changes ensured that virtually all seats in Hong Kong’s legislature, furthering its efforts to curtail the December 2021 LegCo election were won by pro-establishment candidates and effectively ended political opposition and protests. to Beijing in the territory.

Seized by the The UK in 1841, seized Hong Kong was in 1841, and China formally ceded by China it the following year at the end of the First Opium War; the War. The Kowloon Peninsula was added in 1860 at the end of the Second Opium War, and was further extended when Britain the UK obtained a 99-year lease of the New Territories in 1898. Pursuant to an a UK-China agreement signed by China and the UK on 19 December in 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of the People's Republic of China on as of 1 July 1997. In this agreement, China promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic and strict political system would not be imposed on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong would enjoy a "high degree of autonomy" in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the subsequent next 50 years.
Since After the turnover, handover, Hong Kong has continued to enjoy success as an international financial center. However, growing Chinese political influence and dissatisfaction with the Hong Kong Government and growing Chinese political influence has been a in the 2010s became central issue issues and led to considerable civil unrest, including large-scale pro-democracy demonstrations in 2019 after the HKSAR attempted to revise a local ordinance to allow extraditions to mainland China. In response, response to the protests, the governments of the HKSAR and China took several actions that reduced the city's autonomy and placed new restrictions on the rights of Hong Kong residents, moves that were widely criticized to be in direct contravention of as contravening obligations under the Hong Kong Basic Law and the Sino-British Joint Declaration. Chief among these actions was a sweeping national security law for Hong Kong imposed by the Chinese Government in June 2020 that criminalized acts such as those interpreted as secession, subversion, terrorism, and collusion with foreign or external forces. The law ushered in a widespread crackdown on public protests, criticism of authorities, and freedom of speech, and was used by authorities to target pro-democracy activists, organizations, and media companies. Democratic lawmakers and political figures were arrested, arrested in a widespread crackdown, while others fled abroad. At the same time, dozens of civil society groups and several independent media outlets were closed or have disbanded. In March 2021, Beijing imposed a more restrictive electoral system, including restructuring the Legislative Council (LegCo) and allowing only government-approved candidates to run for office, claiming it was to ensure a system of "patriots" governed Hong Kong. office. The changes ensured that virtually all seats in the December 2021 LegCo election were won by went to pro-establishment candidates and effectively ended political opposition to Beijing in Beijing. In 2024, the territory. LegCo passed a new national security law (Article 23 of the Basic Law) further expanding the Hong Kong Government's power to curb dissent.