Hong Kong is a bustling metropolis in Asia, one of the regional and international financial centers and a natural deep-water port with excellent conditions. It was a British colony from 1842 to 1997, and was returned to China on 1 July 1997. With an area of about 1,104 square kilometers and a population of over 7 million, its major industries include real estate, banking and financial services, tourism, industry and trade services, and social and personal services. Hong Kong is renowned for its clean government, good law and order, free economic system and sound rule of law. Hong Kong has been a territory of China since ancient times and originally belonged to Xin'an County (now Shenzhen) in Guangdong Province.

Historical Timeline of Hong Kong

January 26, 1841: After the First Opium War, Britain occupied Hong Kong Island by force. The Qing government tried to recover Hong Kong by force, and the Daoguang Emperor issued a number of oracles to this end, but the Qing Dynasty was never able to defend its territorial integrity.

August 29, 1842: The Qing government signs the unequal Treaty of Nanjing with Britain, ceding Hong Kong Island to Britain.

October 24, 1860: China and Britain sign the unequal Treaty of Beijing, ceding the area south of Boundary Street on the Kowloon Peninsula to Britain.

In 1898 Britain forced the Qing government to make another treaty to lease the area north of Boundary Street on the Kowloon Peninsula and 262 nearby islands for 99 years (ending on June 30, 1997).

December 25, 1942: During the Second World War, the Japanese invaded Hong Kong, the British forces in Hong Kong were unable to resist, and the then Governor of Hong Kong, Moses Yeung, had no choice but to announce his surrender. Hong Kong was occupied by Japan and began the "Japanese rule period" of three years and eight months.

September 15, 1945: Japan signed the surrender of Hong Kong after its defeat and withdrew from Hong Kong, which was put back under British control.

December 19, 1984: China and Britain sign the Joint Declaration on the Question of Hong Kong, which implements "one country, two systems" for Hong Kong after 1997.

July 1, 1997: Hong Kong became a Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China. According to the Basic Law, Hong Kong retains its previous economic, legal and social systems, unchanged for 50 years, is the implementation of "one country, two systems", in addition to defense and foreign affairs under the administration of the Central People's Government, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region enjoys a high degree of autonomy.