The British government has become stronger on the issue, with Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab accusing China of „gross and blatant“ abuses. In March 1979, Hong Kong Governor Murray MacLehose made his first official visit to the People`s Republic of China (PRC) and took the initiative to raise the issue of Hong Kong sovereignty with Deng Xiaoping. [7] Without clarification and determination of the official position of the PRC government, mediating real estate lease and loan agreements in Hong Kong over the next 18 years would be difficult. [5] A few months after Thatcher`s visit to Beijing, the PRC government had not yet begun negotiations with the British government over Hong Kong`s sovereignty. During talks with Thatcher, China planned to invade and conquer Hong Kong if the negotiations sparked unrest in the colony. Thatcher later said that Deng bluntly told her that China could easily take Hong Kong by force, explaining that „I could go there this afternoon and take the whole lot,“ to which she replied that „there is nothing I can do to stop you, but the eyes of the world will now know what China looks like.“ [16] The handover marked the end of British rule in Hong Kong, Britain`s last major overseas territory. Although British Hong Kong did not have priority status over the other British dependent territories under the law established by Parliament (as they were classified at the time before the introduction of the term British Overseas Territory in 2002), Hong Kong was by far the most populous and economically strong. In 1997, the colony had about 6.5 million inhabitants, which represented about 97% of the population of all British dependent territories at the time (the second largest, Bermuda, with a population of only about 62,000 in 1997). With a gross domestic product of about $180 billion in the last year of British rule,[145] Hong Kong`s economy was about 11% as large as Britain`s. [146] Although the economies of the United Kingdom and Hong Kong were measured separately, the retrocession meant that the British economy in the broadest sense became much smaller (in comparison, the takeover of Hong Kong increased the size of the Chinese economy, which was then smaller than that of the United Kingdom, by 18.4%). [147] Compared to Hong Kong, Bermuda (like its population, the largest economically of the remaining British territories) had a GDP of only $4.7 billion in 2017. [148] This decision is likely to signal new sanctions against Chinese and Hong Kong officials, likely in cooperation with the United States. In a statement, Raab said the UK would work with its allies to bind the Chinese government to its obligations under international law.

The National Security Law punishes what China commonly defines as subversion, secession, terrorism and collusion with foreign armed forces to life imprisonment. The list included representatives of the Hong Kong government, members of the Legislative and Executive Council, presidents of Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation and Standard Chartered Bank, prominent businessmen such as Li Ka-shing, Pao Yue-kong and Fok Ying-tung, and Martin Lee Chu-ming and Szeto Wah. The signing of the Joint Declaration sparked some controversy in Britain because British Conservative Party Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher agreed with the Chinese Communist government, represented by Deng Xiaoping. [9] In the White Paper containing the Joint Statement, Her Majesty`s Government stated that „the alternative to adopting the current agreement is to have no agreement,“ a statement intended to refute criticism that the declaration had made too many concessions to China, indicating China`s significant influence during the negotiations. [9] This group was a liaison agency, not a power agency, where each party could send up to 20 auxiliaries. It should meet at least once a year in each of the three sites (Beijing, London and Hong Kong). Since July 1, 1988, it has been based in Hong Kong. It should also support the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in maintaining and developing economic and cultural relations and conclude agreements with States, regions and relevant international organizations on these issues, and could therefore establish specialized sub-groups. Between 1985 and 2000, the Joint Liaison Group held 47 plenary meetings, including 18 in Hong Kong, 15 in London and 14 in Beijing. The British government said China was in a „state of continued non-compliance“ with the Sino-British Joint Declaration, a treaty signed by the two countries that guarantees Hong Kong`s rights and freedoms after the city was returned to Beijing in 1997. The day before, the G7 foreign ministers: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union had issued a joint statement declaring that the amendments approved by the National People`s Congress (NPC), combined with the recent mass arrests of pro-democracy activists and politicians, undermine Hong Kong`s autonomy.

The changes will „stifle political pluralism, as opposed to the goal of moving to universal suffrage,“ as set out in the city`s mini-constitution. Singapore, which also had a predominantly Chinese population, was another popular destination, with the country`s commission (now the consulate general) besieged by worried Hong Kongers. [36] By September 1989, the Commission had approved 6,000 applications for residence in Singapore. [37] Some consular staff have been suspended or arrested for their corrupt conduct in issuing immigrant visas. Under pressure from politicians from all parties, the foreign office is expected to continue sanctioning at least four Hong Kong officials shortly, but will not discuss the details as they do not want to inform anyone in advance who might be affected. In response to concerns about land leases in the New Territories, MacLehose proposed maintaining British administration of all of Hong Kong as opposed to post-1997 sovereignty. [8] He also suggested that treaties should include the phrase „as long as the Crown administers the territory.“ [9] The Chinese government also explained in the document its basic policy towards Hong Kong. In accordance with the „one country, two systems“ principle agreed between Britain and China, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) would not practice the socialist system in mainland China, and Hong Kong`s existing capitalist system and way of life would remain unchanged for 50 years until 2047. The Joint Declaration requires that these basic guidelines be enshrined in the Basic Law of Hong Kong. MacLehose`s visit to the PRC opened the curtain on the issue of Hong Kong`s sovereignty: Britain was informed of the PRC`s intention to regain sovereignty over Hong Kong and began to take appropriate precautions to ensure the maintenance of its interests in the territory and to launch the preparation of an emergency withdrawal plan. The Chinese government, not surprisingly, has rejected the large-scale importation of narcotics into its country by a foreign power. At the time, most Britons did not consider opium to be a particular danger; for them, it was a medicine.

However, China has experienced an opium crisis in which its armed forces have suffered the direct effects of their dependence. There were politicians in England, such as William Ewart Gladstone (1809-1898), who recognized the danger and protested vigorously; but at the same time, there were men who made a fortune, like the eminent United States. Opium dealer Warren Delano (1809-1898), grandfather of the future President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882-1945). On the 19th. In December 1984, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (1925-2013) and Chinese Prime Minister Zhao Ziyang (1919-2005) signed the Sino-British Joint Declaration, in which Britain agreed to return not only the New Territories, but also Kowloon and British Hong Kong itself after the lease expired. Under the terms of the declaration, Hong Kong would become a special administrative region under the People`s Republic of China, and it was expected to enjoy a high degree of autonomy outside of foreign and defence matters. For a period of 50 years after the end of the lease, Hong Kong would remain a free port with a separate customs territory and maintain markets for free trade. Hong Kong citizens could continue to practice capitalism and the political freedoms prohibited on the mainland.

The governor travelled to London with nine members of Hong Kong`s Executive Council to discuss with Prime Minister Thatcher the crisis of confidence – the moral problem for the people of Hong Kong stemming from the failure of sino-British talks. The meeting ended with Thatcher writing a letter to Chinese Premier Zhao Ziyang. More than 10,000 Hong Kong residents rushed to Central to get a UK residency application form. On the eve of the deadline, more than 100,000 people lined up overnight to receive an application form for UK citizens (overseas). While mass migration began well before 1989, the event led to the peak of the 1992 migration year with 66,000 emigrations. [34] In this memorandum, the Government of the United Kingdom has stated that all persons who have citizenship of the British Dependent Territories (BDTC) as a hong kong membership will cease to be BDTCs on July 1, 1997. According to the Declaration, the Hong Kong Act 1985 and the Hong Kong (British Nationality) Order 1986 created the category of British national (overseas). BDTCs were allowed to apply for British national status (overseas) until July 1997, but this status in itself does not grant the right of residence anywhere, including in the United Kingdom and Hong Kong.

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