26 years of uncertainty: Hong Kong’s journey since the handover

A compilation of pieces chronicling what Hong Kong has witnessed over the years since the transfer of power from Britain to China in 1997.

Minutes after Prince Charles formally handed over the administration of Hong Kong on behalf of Queen Elizabeth, Chinese President Jiang Zemin (left) steps out to speak. Photo taken from Frontline’s report in its issue dated July 25, 1997. | Photo Credit: The Hindu Archives

On July 1, 1997, Hong Kong officially returned to Chinese sovereignty after being a British colony for 156 years. It became a special administrative region of China, operating under the “one country, two systems” model, which allowed for autonomous governance. As Frontline (July 25, 1997) described it, the event was “awaited with trepidation and excitement since 1984, when Britain and China agreed on the terms of the transfer of power”.

Since then, Hong Kong has witnessed periods marked by economic instability and pro-democracy protests, even as China has attempted to strengthen its hold on the international financial hub through political and legal reforms.

One of the significant developments in recent years was the extension of the country’s national security laws to Hong Kong. Enacted in June 2020 by China’s National People’s Congress (NPC), the legislation increased the Chinese government’s influence in the region by granting its security agencies the ability to operate publicly in the city for the first time.

The West, whom China has long suspected of provoking “secessionist” sentiments in Hong Kong, was quick to criticise this decision. The NPC, on its part, justified the move, saying it was taken to safeguard “national security” and Hong Kong’s “long-term stability and prosperity.”

Some countries also pointed out that this law directly contradicted Beijing’s promise, made during the handover, to safeguard Hong Kong’s civil liberties and freedom for 50 years until 2047. But it is worth asking whether the British imperialists ever allowed Hong Kong to function as anything akin to what these countries perceive as “Western-style democracy” in the years prior to the transfer of power.

Now, 26 years after the Hong Kong handover, Frontline has compiled a collection of articles shedding light on Hong Kong’s initial years after the handover, its economic struggles, the movements for electoral reform and autonomy, and its leadership over the years.

Happy reading.