History of HongKong

HongKong , a coastal town in southernmost China, old village of fishing, old site the saline ones, became a commercial port, a military port, an international financial center which has the ninth the highest GNP of the world per head, and treats a third of the foreign movements of capital in China.

Prehistory

Archaeological research suggests a human installation in HongKong 5000 years ago. Tools of fishing and bronze combat of the Peuples Yuet during the Bronze Age were excavated on the islands of Lantau and LAMA. Religious sculptures hones some, which probably belong to the Peuples Che during the Neolithic time , were also found on the peripheral islands and the coastal sectors.

Last research on the Paléolithique suggests that Wong Tei Tung (黃地峒) is one of the oldest places of settlement of HongKong.

Imperial China

The territory was incorporated in China during the Dynastie Qin (221 with 206 av. J. - C.), and the sector was firmly consolidated by the emperor of the Nam Yuet (203 with 111 av. J. - C.)

The archaeological obviousness indicates that the population grew since the Dynastie Han (206 with 220 av. J. - C.). In the years 1950, the tomb of Lei Cheng the U.K. (李鄭屋古墓), dating from the Eastern dynasty of Han (25 av. J. - C. with 220) was excavated and the Archéologue S are opened with the possibility that the production of salt opened out in HongKong about 2000 years ago, although it misses always obviously conclusive. Tai Po Hoi (大步海), the sea of Tai Po, was a major port of pearl in China since the Han dynasty. The activities were with strongest during Han of the South (917 to 971) and continue until in Dynastie Ming (1368 to 1644).

During the Dynasty Tang, the area of Guangdong developed like international commercial center. The area of Tuen Mun (屯門) in what is now the New Territories (the new territories hongkongais), was used as port, bases naval, salt production center and later, bases for the exploitation of the pearls. Lantau was also the production center of salt, and whose traffickers fought there against the government.

In 1276, during the invasion mongolienne, the Dynastie of Song of the South moves its court with Fujian, then Lantau and still later with Kowloon City of today, but the child-emperor, Zhao Bing, after being beaten in the Bataille of Yamen, dies while drowning with his civils servant. The valley of Tung Chung (東涌), named according to a hero who made the ultimate sacrifice for the emperor, becomes a base for the court. Hau Wong, senior official of the emperor, is still venerated in HongKong today.

However, at the time of the period mongolienne, HongKong saw her first strong growth of population because of the immigration of the Chinese refugees. Five families of Hau/Hou (候), Tang/Deng (鄧), Pang/Peng (彭), Liu/Liao (廖) and Man/Wen (文) claim to be among the first families documented to settle there. In spite of the immigration and the development of agriculture, the sector was always relatively sterile, and rested on salt, the pearl and trades it of fishing for its economic base.

Sixteenth century

At the 16th century, at the beginning of the Dynasty Ming, the Portuguese traders started to make trade in southernmost China. At the same time, they invaded and accumulated the military fortifications in Tuen Mun. The military battles between China and Portugal followed and the Portuguese were driven out. In the middle of the 16th century, in order to prevent the contact with foreigners, maritime prohibition ( Haijin ) is coming into effect. It also restricted the local maritime activity, and of the villagers in coastal sectors of HongKong were ordered to move towards the continent.

After the first mission of sea by the British East India Company in China in 1699, the trade of HongKong developed quickly then with the British traders. In 1711, the company establishes a commercial counter with the Canton (Guangzhou). During the Dynasty Qing, HongKong belonged to the county of Xin' year (新安縣) and became one of the first military outposts for imperial China.

HongKong recent

The war of opium

After a series of Chinese defeats at the time of the First war of opium (1839-1842) to the hands of the Royal Navy (under the captain Charles Elliot) and of the Royal Navy (under the captain Anthony Blaxland Stransham), the island of HongKong was occupied by the English the January 20th, 1841, and was yielded in 1842 pennies the Traité of Nankin, to which not the territory became a colony of the Crown. The agreement “was negotiated” by the Eliot captain (in the name of the Crown) and the governor of the province of Kwangtung. The Convention of Chuenpeh was concluded but recognized forever by the court from the Dynastie Qing with Beijing.

The majority of the population from approximately 6000 of the time were the “Tanka” and the “Hakka” in a certain number of small coastal villages. With the immediate surge of the trade, the population quickly grew. The war of opium successful to liberalize the trade in China for the British. With a base in HongKong, the tradesmen, merchants of opium, and the British traders launched the city which would become the connection of free trade of the east. Tradesmen of American opiums, in particular John Murray Forbes and John Perkins Cushing, and banking join the trade soon.

The Convention of Beijing of 1860 grants a perpetual lease on the Péninsule of Kowloon to Great Britain, and definitively stopped the hostilities of the Second war of opium (1856-1858). In 1862, the population of HongKong was approximately 120.000.

In 1898, the United Kingdom, concerned not to be able to defend HongKong unless the accesses under the British order, are also carried out lease a 99 years of the New Territories, significantly increasing the size of the colony until the June 30th, 1997.

To the spring of 1894, surroundings 100.000 people are brought back died of the plague to Guangzhou. In May 1894, the plague bursts in the overloaded Chinese district of Tai Ping Shan (太平山 Victoria Peak) of HongKong. With most extremely, the epidemic killed 100 people per day in HongKong, that is to say a total of 2.552 people in the year. The disease harms the trade considerably and made flee more than 100.000 Chinese of the colony. the plague continues to be a problem in the territory during the 30 years to come: 1.290 people find death because of the disease between 1898 and 1900.

At the time of the bursting of the First World War in 1914, feared of a possible attack on the colony causes an exodus of 60.000 Chinese. In the agitation of the following decades in China, the population of HongKong believes of 530.000 in 1916 and 725.000 in 1925, to 1,6 million in 1941.

Japanese occupation

HongKong was occupied by the Japan board of the December 25th 1941 with the August 15th 1945. The economy of HongKong knew a quasi complete rupture for this period, named “the 3 years and 8 months”. The English, the Canadians, the Indians and the voluntary forces of the defense of HongKong resisted the Japanese invasion ordered by Sakai Takashi which began the December 8th 1941, eight hours after the Attaque on Pearl Harbor.

The Japanese gained the superiority of the air the first day of the battle and the defensive forces were exceeded of number. The English and the Indians withdrew themselves from the Gin Drinker' S Line, and consequently from Kowloon, under the air heavy bombardment and of artillery. A wild combat continued on the island of HongKong; the only tank in HongKong was lost. The Canadians Winnipeg pomegranates defended the strategic district of Wong Nai Chong Gap which controlled flow between the southern center town and parts of the island more moved back.

The date of the December 25th 1941 is historical, known like “black Christmas” by the buildings - the British colonial senior officials directed by the Gouverneur of HongKong, Mark Aitchison Young, went in person to the Japanese general headquarter on the third floor of the Peninsula Hôtel. Isogai Rensuke became the first Japanese governor of HongKong.

During the Japanese occupation, the monetary policy was Hyper-inflation nist. HongKong Dollar was prohibited and replaced by the Yen of the Japanese soldiers, a currency without reserves and emitted with the fur and measures by the administration of the Japanese imperial army. Rationing became the standard in the daily life.

It is estimated that 10.000 women were violated in the first days after the fall of HongKong and a great number of suspected dissidents were carried out. Philip Snow, a historian in front of the period, tells that the rations of the civilians were severely cut in order to preserve food for the soldiers. There were many expulsions towards areas of the continental China which were deprived even and more touched by the famine and the diseases. The majority of the repatriates had left them for HongKong a few years earlier, at the time of the Sino-Japanese war.

Towards the end of the war in 1945, the population of HongKong narrows to 600.000, less than half of the population of pre-war period of 1,6 million.

Years after the war

The arrival of the Communiste S in continental China in 1949 led to another increase in population in HongKong. Thousands of the Réfugié S fled China towards HongKong, and made him an important warehouse until the the United Nations impose a Embargo on China for its support for the Guerre of Korea. More refugees arrived during the “Grand Step ahead”.

Competences and capital brought by the Taken refuge S of the continent, particularly Shanghai, with a vast quantity of labor at reduced price, help to restore the economy. At the same time, it became a port-workshop where the Western companies import raw materials. Those are transformed into various goods before export. The economy of HongKong thus knew a growth without precedent.

The large camps of squatters developed in all the territory. In order to answer the problem of place the surge of the refugees while controlling the fire hazards and the health hazards, the government began a policy of public housing. At the beginning, the conditions in public housing were very primitive, because several families divide the toilets and the communal equipment of kitchen. Now, more than 50% of the population of HongKong in the subsidized public residences lives.

Riots of 1967

In May 1967, the movement of work under the influence of the Cultural revolution in RPC became violent. The riots lasted during the six following months. A famous journalist of radio, Lam Bun (林彬), which openly criticized the movement, was assassinated. The agitators of left resorted to the terrorist attacks by planting the true ones and false bombs around and in HongKong. The perception of Hongkongais towards the Communists became highly negative.

After the government of HongKong crushed the Labor movement, the network of the Communists in HongKong was broken.

From 1967 at the years 1990

In 1974, the Governor Murray McLehose founds ICAC, the Independent commission against Corruption, in order to fight against corruption, in particular within the police force. The corrupted practices were so widespread that they cause a petition of mass of the police force against continuations.

In spite of the opposition to the ICAC by the police force at the beginning, its success makes that HongKong becomes thereafter one of the jurisdictions the least corrupted in the world.

The Années 1970 also saw the extension of the education subsidized by the six year old government to nine years, and the creation of the system of parks of the countryside of HongKong. The opening of the continental Chinese market and the local wage increase attracted many manufacturers towards north. However, HongKong consolidates her position of a center of trade and important tourism in the area of the Southeast Asia.

With the social status, the Life expectancy, the rate of Elimination of illiteracy, the income per capita and other socio-economic indices high testify to the progress and the achievements of HongKong during the forty last years of the 20th century.

The transition

In 1982, fifteen years before the lease on the new territories did not expire, the governments of the the United Kingdom and the Popular republic of China (RPC) begin the dialog on the future of HongKong. The Prime Minister for the United Kingdom, Margaret Thatcher, had hoped that the increasing opening of the government of the RPC and the economic reforms on the continent would lead the RPC to a prolongation of the British presence.

However, not only the RPC wanted to see the new territories reassigned with Chinese sovereignty, but she refuses to recognize the Treaties under which the island of HongKong and the Péninsule of Kowloon had been yielded to Great Britain with perpetuity.

China regards the whole of the treaties as unjust and unequal, and thus refuses to recognize the British Souveraineté on HongKong, only her administration. In fact, the 27e General meeting of the United Nations had adopted a resolution affirming the position and the requirements of the RPC with respect to HongKong one decade earlier, the November 8th 1972. Huang Hooted, the Permanent representative of the RPC to UNO, wrote a letter with the President of the committee of decolonization of UNO in March 1972, by saying that “HongKong and Macao are not included at all in the general category of so-called “the colony”, but belong to the Chinese territory occupied by the British and Portuguese authorities. As have-rights of Qing and ROCK, the resolution of the question of HongKong and Macao between completion in the perimeter of the sovereign rights of the RPC”. It reassures while adding that “China will employ peaceful means at the proper time. The status quo will be preserved until the resolution of the questions about HongKong and Macao”.

Independently of the complaints for sovereignty, the “supreme leader” of the RPC Deng Xiaoping recognized that HongKong, with her free market economy, can be comparable in the Popular republic only over one more or less long duration, and that no attempt to make thus brutally is in the interest of the one and the other either. He recommended a known policy much more pragmatic under the name of a country, two systems in which the economic systems of HongKong, as well as Macao, are partitioned those of the RPC. Concerned of the reunification with Taiwan, he also proposes it to him.

The December 19th 1984, the Joint Declaration sino-British on the question of HongKong (“the Joint Declaration”) was signed by the governments of the RPC and the United Kingdom. Under the terms of this agreement, HongKong would cease being a British colony on July 1st 1997 and would be henceforth a special administrative Région (SAR) of the RPC. The opposition of Hongkongais to the retrocession causes a first wave of emigration.

The governor, Sir Edouard Youde, dies in 1987 and was replaced by Sir David Wilson.

The April 4th, 1990, the basic law of HongKong (BASIC Law off HongKong) was officially adopted like constitution of HongKong SAR after the retrocession. The block of pro-Beijing politicians made warm welcome with the fundamental law, by calling it the legal system most democratic to exist forever in RPC. On the other hand, for the block pro-democracy, the constitution missed there.

In July 1992, Chris Patten was named the British last Gouverneur. Patten had been President of the conservative party with RU until it lost his seat at the time of the parliamentary general election earlier in the year, in April. He was only the professional politician with being a governor of HongKong, his predecessors having all be of the diplomatic service. On the other hand, Patten had little knowledge or experience about HongKong or of China, and spoke neither the Mandarin nor the Cantonese. The relations with Beijing become increasingly tended, while Patten presented the democratic reforms which increased the number of members elected in the Legislative council of HongKong (Legislative Council). These changes upset much the RPC, which saw them like an infringement of the fundamental law.

At midnight and a second on July 1st 1997, HongKong was given to the Popular republic of China by the United Kingdom. The old Legislative council following the reforms of Chris Patten, dissolved and was replaced by the temporary Legislative council elected by a selection committee whose members are named by the government of the RPC. Tung Chee Hwa, elected in December by this same selection committee, assumes as a first Chef of the executive of HongKong ( Chief Executive of HongKong ).

Changes

changes purely symbolic systems

All the public offices raise the flags of the RPC and of HongKong. The Flag of the United Kingdom fleet maintaining only above the British Consulate-General and other places.
the portrait of the queen Elisabeth II disappeared from the Banknotes, coins, Timbres-poste and offices public. In date of 2005, it always remains in circulation of the coins and some banknotes produced before 1997 and which are always valid.
the “royal” title was given up by almost all the organizations at which ilavait granted, except for the Royal Yacht Club of HongKong.
Of the legal references to “the crown” was replaced while referring in “the state”, and the Barrister S which had been named councils of the Queen ( Queen' S Counsel ) are now known like senior Conseils ( Senior Counsel ).
Some Bank holidays of HongKong was changed: the official birthday of the queen and other Britanniques bank holidays were removed and replaced by the national Festival of the RPC (on October 1st) and day of establishment of HongKong SAR (on July 1st).
All of red color, the royal mail, the emblems and blazons of the Queen Elizabeth II, are disappeared and were replaced by letter-boxes of HongKong of color green

not changes

In other connections, the following hardly underwent has changes:

legal independence: The new SAR is remained a distinct and independent, and continuous jurisdiction to employ the system of Anglo-Saxon Droit ( English Common Law ).
frontier and customs independence: The border with the continent is maintained and patrolled like front. Free trade with the rest of the world and the continent preserved.
HongKong remains full member of various international agencies such as CIO, APEC and OMC, and preserves the rights to negotiate and maintain its own treaties and conventions, including the bilateral agreements of aviation with the foreign countries and territories. Flights between HongKong and continental China are considered international flights (or flights between territories).
the independence of the immigration policy for the majority of the foreign countries. In the same way, the supports of passport of HongKong SAR had access easier to the countries within the European Union and the countries of the North America, whereas the citizens of continent not. The former colonial citizens can still employ the British passports of overseas () after 1997.
the English is an official language of share the BASIC Law and teaching remains standardized in all the schools. However, much of (but not all them) schools teach now inside the dialect Cantonese with texts written in Chinese, and tandem with the English language.
the Freedom of expression: The citizens continue to enjoy more political freedoms that the continental China, with the occurrence Freedom of the press, although this became vulnerable to art of the Autocensure.
HongKong, unlike the continent, continues to lead left side.
Standards of installation: British electrical outlets standards (BS1363), transmissions of TV (FADED) and much of other technical standards of the United Kingdom are still used in HongKong. However, telcos do not install any more of the catches of telephone BS 6312 in HongKong.
HongKong maintains a code separate (852) in the Liste of the international telephone codes by code, and the plan of classification is independent of that of the continent: the incoming calls HongKong and the continent always require to compose the international one.
old British manner of military run, and the terminology of command in English is preserved in all the disciplinary services and all the organizations. The soldiers of the popular Armée with release (APL) of the Chinese garrison in HongKong have their own mode of run and control words in Mandarin.
All the British statues, for example those of the Queen Victoria, king George, etc, remained unchanged in their sites.

Major events during the transition

For the transitional period for the retrocession in 1997, an major event was the Manifestations of the place Tiananmen (“massacre of the Tiananmen place”) in 1989, which worsened the mistrust of the Communist regime and started a large wave of immigration. The May 27th 1989, approximately 1 million Hongkongais expressed for " patriotism and the démocratie" (愛國民主). The demonstrations ceased only well after the crushing of the movement on June 4th.

Since the event, Hongkongais are divided into two groups: the “pro Beijing” which supports the suppression and the “pro-democratic one” which is opposed to it, these two political groups and attitudes competing dominate the debate and the political ecosystem of today.

These fears and mistrust towards the Communists caused a second and larger wave of emigration. The Australia, Canada, Singapore, and the the United States became the preferred destinations. Richmond Colombia-British in Canada gains new nickname the “Chinatown”.

HongKong since 1997

For three months after the peaceful retrocession in July 1997, HongKong was trailed in the Asian Economic crisis where to more the Stockmarket fell from 22,8% in one week. Between the summer 1997 and the summer 1998, the principal components of the Hang Seng lost two thirds of their value almost. The government made the decision discussed to intervene by investing billion dollars by buying titles on the market. While this could prevent the market from crumbling and avoided pressure so that the bond of the dollar of HongKong with the US dollar is not broken, the intervention in this manner was condemned overall like a gigantic contradiction with the free market economy of HongKong.

In 1998, the Speculative bubble Immobilière bursts, mainly because of the economic crisis which touched all the area of Asia, but also partly because of the policy of social housing of the government. On its inauguration as a Chief of the executive of HongKong, Tung Chee-Hwa announces its objective to build 85.000 apartments per annum in order to reduce the latency for seven years the public housing to three. These factors together start to harden the most serious recession in HongKong since 1967, where the reduction in the governmental incomes, coupled with engagements on great projects of infrastructure made a structural deficit and the worst reduction in the tax reserves never known.

In 2001, the general secretary of the administration, {Chief Secretary for the Administration) Anson Chan, resigns and was replaced by the secretary of finance Donald Tsang. Mrs. Chan was perceived like close relation of the preceding colonial administration, and after its resignation it became a critic of the government and militates for the countryside for the democracy.

The administration of Tung Chee Hwa was also marked by the concern on the rule of law and of the autonomy of HongKong with respect to the Chinese central authorities. In 1999, the final Court of Appeal ( Runs Final Appeal off) of HongKong decides that the children resulting from Hongkongais born in continental China would have right of residence in HongKong provided that one or the other relative is resident permanent of HongKong. However, this decision was disputed by the government, which sought thereafter a reinterpretation of the BASIC Law by the central government. Beijing gives him win.

In 2004, before beginning a constitutional review on the question of the Vote for all, the government of HongKong requested the opinion of the central government. This last indicated that the vote for all could not be presented before 2007, the date earliest under consideration by the BASIC Law, which aimed that the democracy is introduced gradually, in a manner which is not likely to create instability in the SAR.

Atypical pneumonia and article 23

At the time of the economic recession, the atypical Pneumonie (SARS) seriously touched between the months of February 2003, when the first suspected case was recorded, until the June 23rd 2003, when HongKong was removed list of the territories affected by the the World Health Organization. The city was in a state of panic because of the epidemic. The economic activity was disturbed considerably, the stopped schooling. Tourism and the restoration, of the important sectors, were decimated, unemployment rate reached 7,9% compared with 2,2% in 1997 and 4,4% in 2000. The epidemic finally removed the life with 299 people in the territory.

At this time, the government proposes a law which aimed at political subversion, under consideration under the article 23 of the BASIC Law. This evoked serious fears of the population for the Freedom of the press, that of religion and the of association. The Executive popularity of Chief Tung Chee Hwa and of its civils servant being already in freefall, more because of the economic conjuncture and the not-control of pandemia, encouraged at least 500.000 people to express on July 1st, 2003. It is about the greatest demonstration on the Chinese ground since Tiananmen in 1989. The private bill was disallowed after the loss of the support of a big number of legislators. Several members of the cabinet, in particular the Secretary of Safety, Regina IP, were constrained to resign. In spite of powerful voices and persistent requests for the resignation of Tung, supported by the Chinese Communist party, it remains in station until the March 10th 2005, 20 months after the manifestation of July 1st.

In 2005, Tung capitulates with the complaints of the majority of the population, and resigns before the end of its mandate of '' Chief Executive ''. Thereafter, there was a polemic over the term of the office of its successor: would that which replaces it start to serve new a four years mandate, or would serve it only balance the two years? Impatient to avoid the constitutional uncertainty in the absence of a leader and of a decision of the courses of HongKong, the government of HongKong again went to seek a precision of the BASIC Law on this subject near the central government.

The departure of Tung is largely associated with the change of leader in China: Hu Jintao (胡锦涛) seized the power in September 2004 within the central military Commission (RPC) of the Popular republic of China, the supreme body of the Chinese armed force. The station of Tung was filled by Donald Tsang, after an exceptional election for the balance of the two years mandate, where there was one qualified candidate. As a general secretary, Tsang was the second senior official of the administration. This official of popular career is known for his bow ties and was appointed knight by the Queen of England for his service with the colonial administration.

The failures of the administration of Tung, however, proposed the concern of the population for the political reform of HongKong, and the petition for the vote for all in order to prevent that a leader without popular support does not seize the power. The political reform of the territory is always in visible building site, but the economic revival and the new leaders relieved the critics of the government for the moment.

Zh-yue: 香港史

Random links: