Topic Reading-Vol.3727-6/25/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

HK welcomes 25th anniversary of returning to motherland

Hong Kong became a colony of the British Empire in 1842 by force after the First Opium War. In 1898, Britain obtained a 99-year lease of Hong Kong including the Kowloon Peninsula. Hong Kong enjoyed economic and financial growth especially in the late 20^th century under British sovereignty. Before returning to China, the so-called “one country, two systems” principle was agreed upon between China and Britain to maintain independent governance and economy. On July 1, 1977, Hong Kong was finally returned to China after 156 years of British rule and became the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China. Before the handover, nearly one million people emigrated to Canada, the UK, Australia, the US, and other countries. Now, there are about 7.4 million residents in the tiny island and part of the peninsula, which makes it the 4^th most densely populated district/state after Macau, Monaco, and Singapore. Over the last course of 25 years, Hong Kong experienced the 1997 Asian financial crisis, the 2003 SARS epidemic, the 2014 Umbrella Revolution, and the 2019 mass protests in response to the extradition amendment bill. How are Hongkongers celebrating the 25^th anniversary of the handover to China compared with the people in the motherland?

Enjoy seeing the photos and learning about what Hong Kong’s 25^th anniversary means to the residents and government.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202206/18/WS62adc880a310fd2b29e637bc.html