HistoryHistoryHuman settlement in the location now known as Hong Kong dates Human settlement in the location now known as Hong Kong dates back to the back to the PaleolithicPaleolithic era. The region was first incorporated into era. The region was first incorporated into Imperial ChinaImperial China in the in the Qin DynastyQin Dynasty, and served as a trading post , and served as a trading post and naval base during the and naval base during the Tang DynastyTang Dynasty and the and the Song DynastySong Dynasty. . The area's earliest recorded European visitor was The area's earliest recorded European visitor was Jorge ÁlvaresJorge Álvares, a , a PortuguesePortuguese + who arrived in 1513. Álvares discovered that Hong + who arrived in 1513. Álvares discovered that Hong Kong in the Song Dynasty became an independent nation.Kong in the Song Dynasty became an independent nation.[5][5][6][6]In 1839 the refusal by In 1839 the refusal by Qing DynastyQing Dynasty authorities to import authorities to import opiumopium resulted in the resulted in the First Opium WarFirst Opium War between China and Britain. between China and Britain. Hong Kong IslandHong Kong Island was occupied by British forces in 1841, and then was occupied by British forces in 1841, and then formally ceded to Britain under the formally ceded to Britain under the Treaty of NankingTreaty of Nanking at the end of at the end of the war. The British established a the war. The British established a Crown ColonyCrown Colony with the founding with the founding of of Victoria CityVictoria City the following year. In 1860, after China's defeat in the following year. In 1860, after China's defeat in the the Second Opium WarSecond Opium War, the , the Kowloon PeninsulaKowloon Peninsula south of south of Boundary StreetBoundary Street and and Stonecutter's IslandStonecutter's Island were ceded to Britain were ceded to Britain under the under the Convention of PekingConvention of Peking. In 1898 Britain obtained a 99-. In 1898 Britain obtained a 99-year lease of year lease of Lantau IslandLantau Island and the adjacent northern lands, which and the adjacent northern lands, which became known as the became known as the New TerritoriesNew Territories..[7][7]

Hong Kong was declared a Hong Kong was declared a free portfree port to serve as an to serve as an entrepôtentrepôt of the of the British EmpireBritish Empire. The . The Kowloon-Canton RailwayKowloon-Canton Railway opened opened in 1910 with a southern terminus in in 1910 with a southern terminus in Tsim Sha TsuiTsim Sha Tsui. An . An education system based on the British model was education system based on the British model was introduced. The local Chinese population had little contact introduced. The local Chinese population had little contact with the European community of wealthy with the European community of wealthy tai-panstai-pans settled settled near near Victoria PeakVictoria Peak..[7][7] In conjunction with its military In conjunction with its military campaign in campaign in World War IIWorld War II, the , the Empire of JapanEmpire of Japan invaded invaded Hong Kong on Hong Kong on December 8December 8, , 19411941. The . The Battle of Hong KongBattle of Hong Kong ended with British and Canadian defenders surrendering ended with British and Canadian defenders surrendering control of the colony to Japan on control of the colony to Japan on December 25December 25. During the . During the Japanese occupationJapanese occupation, civilians suffered widespread , civilians suffered widespread food shortagesfood shortages, rationing, and , rationing, and hyper-inflationhyper-inflation due to forced due to forced exchange of currency for military notes. Hong Kong lost exchange of currency for military notes. Hong Kong lost more than half of its population in the period between the more than half of its population in the period between the invasion and Japan's surrender in 1945, when the United invasion and Japan's surrender in 1945, when the United Kingdom resumed control of the colonyKingdom resumed control of the colony..[8][8]

Hong Kong's population recovered quickly as a Hong Kong's population recovered quickly as a wave of mainland migrants arrived for refuge wave of mainland migrants arrived for refuge from the ongoing from the ongoing Chinese Civil WarChinese Civil War. With the . With the proclamation of the proclamation of the People's Republic of ChinaPeople's Republic of China in in 1949 more migrants fled to Hong Kong from fear 1949 more migrants fled to Hong Kong from fear of by the of by the Communist PartyCommunist Party..[7][7] Many corporations Many corporations in Shanghai and Guangzhou also shifted their in Shanghai and Guangzhou also shifted their operations to Hong Kong.[7] The colony became operations to Hong Kong.[7] The colony became the sole place of contact between mainland China the sole place of contact between mainland China and the Western world, as the communist and the Western world, as the communist government increasingly isolated the country government increasingly isolated the country from outside influence. Trade with the mainland from outside influence. Trade with the mainland was interrupted during the Korean War, when the was interrupted during the Korean War, when the United Nations ordered a trade embargo against United Nations ordered a trade embargo against the communist government the communist government

current administrationcurrent administrationHONG KONG (CIFD) - For the first time after four months of HONG KONG (CIFD) - For the first time after four months of announcing the decree's Article 23, the controversial law announcing the decree's Article 23, the controversial law that would give the Hong Kong government broad powers to that would give the Hong Kong government broad powers to monitor, arrest and imprison those considerations as a monitor, arrest and imprison those considerations as a threat of government Mainland China, Hong Kong leaders threat of government Mainland China, Hong Kong leaders have exposed the legal language of Article 23. (Related have exposed the legal language of Article 23. (Related News) News) According to an article in the February 13 New York Times, According to an article in the February 13 New York Times, leaders of Hong Kong have delivered the bill to the leaders of Hong Kong have delivered the bill to the Legislative Council of Hong Kong and require the Council to Legislative Council of Hong Kong and require the Council to approve it quickly. " approve it quickly. " On February 15, about a hundred Falun Gong practitioners On February 15, about a hundred Falun Gong practitioners appealed peacefully outside the Legislative Council, calling appealed peacefully outside the Legislative Council, calling on the Council and the Government to stop the decree of on the Council and the Government to stop the decree of the malevolent law under Article 23 of the Basic Law. the malevolent law under Article 23 of the Basic Law. In a statement issued open the same day, practitioners in In a statement issued open the same day, practitioners in Hong Kong emphasized that Article 23 is an extension of the Hong Kong emphasized that Article 23 is an extension of the genocidal policy that the Jiang Zemin regime has taken genocidal policy that the Jiang Zemin regime has taken against Falun Gong in China.against Falun Gong in China.

Hong Kong: Can one country, two Hong Kong: Can one country, two systems?systems?

After the year 1984 when Britain agreed through a joint After the year 1984 when Britain agreed through a joint declaration with China to leave Hong Kong in 1997. At that time, declaration with China to leave Hong Kong in 1997. At that time, in full Cold War, fears of the Western world dealt with the fate of in full Cold War, fears of the Western world dealt with the fate of the fragile colony in the hands of the Asian giant. The importance the fragile colony in the hands of the Asian giant. The importance and generated apprehension that the act is due mainly to the and generated apprehension that the act is due mainly to the preponderance of Hong Kong as a leading financial and preponderance of Hong Kong as a leading financial and commercial centres in the world. commercial centres in the world. had been five years since the establishment of diplomatic had been five years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the U.S. and China, which took a radical shift relations between the U.S. and China, which took a radical shift the previous policy of recognizing Taiwan. Such a rapprochement the previous policy of recognizing Taiwan. Such a rapprochement between the two countries was the end result of the Shanghai between the two countries was the end result of the Shanghai Communique of 1972, in what was called the "policy of ping pong" Communique of 1972, in what was called the "policy of ping pong" that developed between the two countries. that developed between the two countries.

One country, two systems, a concept which emerged in response One country, two systems, a concept which emerged in response to the possible meeting with Taiwan, was the idea that prevailed to the possible meeting with Taiwan, was the idea that prevailed in 1984, at which time China in a position completely different in 1984, at which time China in a position completely different from what is now sought to dispel fears and doubts on the sharing from what is now sought to dispel fears and doubts on the sharing of sovereignty meant that the agreement.of sovereignty meant that the agreement.

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