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Handover of Hong Kong facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

The handover of Hong Kong was when the country that controlled Hong Kong changed. It went from the United Kingdom to China. This big event happened on 1 July 1997. Before this day, Hong Kong was a colony of the United Kingdom. After the handover, Hong Kong became a special part of China. It is called a special administrative region (SAR).

The British had controlled Hong Kong for 156 years. In 1997, about 6.5 million people lived in Hong Kong. This was most of the people in all British territories around the world. Some people think this handover marked the end of the British Empire.

History

How Hong Kong Became British

In the 1830s, the United Kingdom controlled many parts of India. They wanted to grow cotton there. This would help them avoid buying so much cotton from the United States. They could not grow cotton well, but they found they could grow poppies. These poppies were used to make opium.

British traders secretly brought opium into China. They did this to buy tea. This led to wars between Britain and China, called the Opium Wars. After these wars, Britain and the Qing Empire (who ruled China then) signed three important agreements.

Britain gained control of Hong Kong through these agreements:

  • In 1842, the Treaty of Nanking gave Britain control of Hong Kong Island forever.
  • In 1860, the Convention of Peking gave Britain control of the Kowloon Peninsula forever.
  • In 1898, the Convention for the Extension of Hong Kong Territory gave Britain control of the New Territories and nearby islands for 99 years. This control would end in 1997.

Why the Handover Was Tricky

Even though Britain only controlled the New Territories for a set time, this area grew quickly. Hong Kong Island and Kowloon did not have enough land or natural resources. So, many buildings and roads were built in the New Territories.

When Britain and China started talking about Hong Kong's future after 1997, it was hard to decide what to do. It seemed very difficult to separate the New Territories from the rest of Hong Kong. Many people felt it was best to return all of Hong Kong to China, not just the New Territories.

  • by the BBC World Service

Images for kids

  • HK 71 Match BHKG1

    A march in Hong Kong on July 1, 2011, showing the British Hong Kong flag.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Transferencia de soberanía de Hong Kong para niños

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