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[](https://www.britannica.com/) [](https://www.britannica.com/) [SUBSCRIBE](https://premium.britannica.com/premium-membership/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=global-nav&utm_campaign=blue-evergreen) [SUBSCRIBE](https://premium.britannica.com/premium-membership/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=global-nav-mobile&utm_campaign=blue-evergreen) Login https://premium.britannica.com/premium-membership/?utm\_source=premium\&utm\_medium=nav-login-box\&utm\_campaign=evergreen [SUBSCRIBE](https://premium.britannica.com/premium-membership/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=hamburger-menu&utm_campaign=blue) [Ask the Chatbot](https://www.britannica.com/chatbot) [Games & Quizzes](https://www.britannica.com/quiz/browse) [History & Society](https://www.britannica.com/History-Society) [Science & Tech](https://www.britannica.com/Science-Tech) [Biographies](https://www.britannica.com/Biographies) [Animals & Nature](https://www.britannica.com/Animals-Nature) [Geography & Travel](https://www.britannica.com/Geography-Travel) [Arts & Culture](https://www.britannica.com/Arts-Culture) [ProCon](https://www.britannica.com/procon) [Money](https://www.britannica.com/money) [Videos](https://www.britannica.com/videos) [A Look at Hong Kong and China 20 Years After Reunification](https://www.britannica.com/story/a-look-at-hong-kong-and-china-20-years-after-reunification) - [Introduction](https://www.britannica.com/story/a-look-at-hong-kong-and-china-20-years-after-reunification) - [Learn More About This Topic](https://www.britannica.com/story/a-look-at-hong-kong-and-china-20-years-after-reunification#ref418802) [References & Edit History](https://www.britannica.com/story/a-look-at-hong-kong-and-china-20-years-after-reunification/additional-info) [Related Topics](https://www.britannica.com/facts/a-look-at-hong-kong-and-china-20-years-after-reunification) [Images](https://www.britannica.com/story/a-look-at-hong-kong-and-china-20-years-after-reunification/images-videos) [](https://cdn.britannica.com/72/154072-050-5F69AC59/Hong-Kong-China-harbour-region-east-coast.jpg)  Contents Ask Anything [Geography & Travel](https://www.britannica.com/browse/Geography-Travel) [States & Other Subdivisions](https://www.britannica.com/browse/States-Other-Subdivisions) CITE Share Feedback External Websites [](https://cdn.britannica.com/72/154072-050-5F69AC59/Hong-Kong-China-harbour-region-east-coast.jpg) [Hong Kong](https://cdn.britannica.com/72/154072-050-5F69AC59/Hong-Kong-China-harbour-region-east-coast.jpg) Aerial view of Hong Kong's harbor. (more) # A Look at Hong Kong and China 20 Years After Reunification How has Hong Kong fared since its 1997 reunification with China? Homework Help Written by [John P. Rafferty John P. Rafferty writes about Earth processes and the environment. He serves currently as the editor of Earth and life sciences, covering climatology, geology, zoology, and other topics that relate to...](https://www.britannica.com/editor/John-P-Rafferty/6747) John P. Rafferty Fact-checked by [Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....](https://www.britannica.com/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419) Britannica Editors  Britannica AI Ask Anything Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask Anything [Hong Kong](https://www.britannica.com/place/Hong-Kong) spent more than 130 years as a [crown](https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/crown) colony of the [British Empire](https://www.britannica.com/place/British-Empire) before the small [Kowloon Peninsula](https://www.britannica.com/place/Kowloon-Peninsula) and its neighboring islands were returned to [China](https://www.britannica.com/place/China) in 1997. Won in parts during the [Opium Wars](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Opium-Wars) (1839–60), Hong Kong was valued by the British for its strategic location near the mouth of the [Pearl River](https://www.britannica.com/place/Pearl-River). In 1898 the British agreed to lease Hong Kong from China for 99 years. Beginning in 1982, as the end of the lease loomed, China and the [United Kingdom](https://www.britannica.com/place/United-Kingdom) developed a series of accords that would determine the colony’s fate. With the ratification of the Basic Law by Hong Kong’s parliament (which [took effect on July 1, 1997](https://www.britannica.com/event/handover-of-Hong-Kong)), Hong Kong became a Special Administrative Region under the control of the Chinese central government. The plan was that the region would enjoy [autonomy](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/autonomy) under the principle of “one [country](https://www.britannica.com/topic/nation-state), two systems,” an idea proposed during the 1980s by Chinese Premier [Deng Xiaoping](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Deng-Xiaoping), and would retain control over its internal matters—that is, its courts, its rule-making and executive government, and its internal security. In return, China would rule over Hong Kong’s [foreign affairs](https://www.britannica.com/topic/international-relations) and would take charge of its external security. In 1997 the colony was returned to China, after a 20-year period in which Hong Kong had blossomed into one of the world’s premier trading centers. Western governments wondered whether Hong Kong’s prosperity, ostensibly driven by capitalism and Western values, would spread to the rest of China. In the years that followed, Hong Kong’s economy continued to grow, as economic ties and transportation [infrastructure](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/infrastructure) between the region and the rest of China grew. Some experts, including officials from mainland China, continue to insist that the “one country, two systems” approach has been successful, arguing that the region’s contrasts with the mainland remain clear. They cite the individual freedoms enjoyed by Hong Kong’s residents and the region’s continued economic performance as examples. Other experts disagree. They note that the “one country, two systems” ideal appears to be devolving, with Hong Kong becoming a haven for corruption and a favorite location for [money laundering](https://www.britannica.com/topic/money-laundering) by upwardly mobile mainland business tycoons. Since 1997 the gap between rich and poor has widened, [exacerbated](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exacerbated) by a tight job market, expensive housing, and the reality that Hong Kong’s importance in the broader Chinese economy is diminishing as China’s overall economy continues to grow. The region was beset by pro-[democracy](https://www.britannica.com/topic/democracy) demonstrations that lasted 79 days in 2014. The Umbrella Movement, which took the umbrella as a symbol of resistance, sprang from the protests that demanded full democracy—that is, the right of Hong Kong residents to elect their own government officials without interference from the mainland. (The [Chinese Communist Party](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Chinese-Communist-Party) is in the habit of handpicking Hong Kong’s candidates on the basis of their loyalty to the communist government.) Hong Kong’s latest leader, [Carrie Lam](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Carrie-Lam), sworn in by Chinese President [Xi Jinping](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Xi-Jinping) on July 1, has been accused by scholars and pro-democracy legislators of being the latest product of Chinese interference. In the aftermath of the Umbrella Revolution, Hong Kong continues to struggle with its identity as its ties with the mainland grow. Many in Hong Kong believe that the influence Western experts hoped for in 1997 has worked in reverse, with mainland communist-style rules and politics slowly taking over life in Hong Kong. ## Learn More About This Topic 1. [What were some of the other products of the Opium Wars?](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Opium-Wars) 2. [How has the Chinese Communist Party evolved?](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Chinese-Communist-Party) 3. [When did Macau (a former colony of Portugal) become part of China?](https://www.britannica.com/place/Macau-administrative-region-China) [John P. Rafferty](https://www.britannica.com/editor/John-P-Rafferty/6747) Britannica AI *chevron\_right* A Look at Hong Kong and China 20 Years After Reunification *close* [AI-generated answers](https://www.britannica.com/about-britannica-ai) from Britannica articles. AI makes mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. [Is Hong Kong a Country?](https://www.britannica.com/story/is-hong-kong-a-country) [Introduction](https://www.britannica.com/story/is-hong-kong-a-country) [References & Edit History](https://www.britannica.com/story/is-hong-kong-a-country/additional-info) [Related Topics](https://www.britannica.com/facts/is-hong-kong-a-country) [Images](https://www.britannica.com/story/is-hong-kong-a-country/images-videos) [](https://cdn.britannica.com/43/82343-050-92634E48/Flag-Hong-Kong-province-China.jpg)  Contents Ask Anything [Geography & Travel](https://www.britannica.com/browse/Geography-Travel) [States & Other Subdivisions](https://www.britannica.com/browse/States-Other-Subdivisions) CITE Share Feedback External Websites [](https://cdn.britannica.com/43/82343-050-92634E48/Flag-Hong-Kong-province-China.jpg) [Hong Kong](https://cdn.britannica.com/43/82343-050-92634E48/Flag-Hong-Kong-province-China.jpg) (more) # Is Hong Kong a Country? Learn more about Hong Kong. Homework Help Written by [Amy McKenna Amy McKenna is a senior editor, primarily focused on geography and history matters pertaining to sub-Saharan Africa. She joined Encyclopaedia Britannica in 2004. She was previously employed by Standard...](https://www.britannica.com/editor/Amy-McKenna/6443) Amy McKenna Fact-checked by [Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....](https://www.britannica.com/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419) Britannica Editors  Britannica AI Ask Anything Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask Anything No, [Hong Kong](https://www.britannica.com/place/Hong-Kong) is not a [country](https://www.britannica.com/topic/nation-state). Hong Kong is a special administrative region of [China](https://www.britannica.com/place/China). Hong Kong’s status as a special administrative region stems from its history as a former British colony. By way of treaty or lease with China, the islands and mainland area now known as Hong Kong came under the control of [Great Britain](https://www.britannica.com/place/United-Kingdom) at various points in the 19th century. From that time until its transfer back to China in the late 20th century, Hong Kong developed on a different trajectory, both politically and economically, than mainland China—which, in contrast to Hong Kong’s status as a British colony, began that period with its imperial [dynasty](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dynasty) in decline and ended it as a republic under communist rule. Spurred by the pending expiration of a 99-year lease (1898–1997) for part of the territory, the 1984 Chinese-British joint declaration paved the way for all of Hong Kong to be returned to China. The [handover](https://www.britannica.com/event/handover-of-Hong-Kong) occurred on July 1, 1997, at which point the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region took effect. The Basic Law outlined the concept of “one country, two systems,” under which Hong Kong, though now part of China, was allowed to maintain its capitalist economy and to retain a large degree of political [autonomy](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/autonomy) (except in matters of [foreign policy](https://www.britannica.com/topic/foreign-policy) and defense) for a period of 50 years. [Amy McKenna](https://www.britannica.com/editor/Amy-McKenna/6443) Britannica AI *chevron\_right* Is Hong Kong a Country? *close* [AI-generated answers](https://www.britannica.com/about-britannica-ai) from Britannica articles. AI makes mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. Load Next Page Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. *print* Print Please select which sections you would like to print: *verified*Cite While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Select Citation Style Rafferty, John P.. "A Look at Hong Kong and China 20 Years After Reunification". *Encyclopedia Britannica*, 13 Jun. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/story/a-look-at-hong-kong-and-china-20-years-after-reunification. Accessed 2 April 2026. Copy Citation Share Share to social media [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/BRITANNICA/) [X](https://x.com/britannica) URL <https://www.britannica.com/story/a-look-at-hong-kong-and-china-20-years-after-reunification>  Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. *verified*Cite While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Select Citation Style McKenna, Amy. "Is Hong Kong a Country?". *Encyclopedia Britannica*, 13 Jun. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/story/is-hong-kong-a-country. Accessed 2 April 2026. Copy Citation Share Share to social media [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/BRITANNICA/) [X](https://x.com/britannica) URL <https://www.britannica.com/story/is-hong-kong-a-country>

[Hong Kong](https://www.britannica.com/place/Hong-Kong) spent more than 130 years as a [crown](https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/crown) colony of the [British Empire](https://www.britannica.com/place/British-Empire) before the small [Kowloon Peninsula](https://www.britannica.com/place/Kowloon-Peninsula) and its neighboring islands were returned to [China](https://www.britannica.com/place/China) in 1997. Won in parts during the [Opium Wars](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Opium-Wars) (1839–60), Hong Kong was valued by the British for its strategic location near the mouth of the [Pearl River](https://www.britannica.com/place/Pearl-River). In 1898 the British agreed to lease Hong Kong from China for 99 years. Beginning in 1982, as the end of the lease loomed, China and the [United Kingdom](https://www.britannica.com/place/United-Kingdom) developed a series of accords that would determine the colony’s fate. With the ratification of the Basic Law by Hong Kong’s parliament (which [took effect on July 1, 1997](https://www.britannica.com/event/handover-of-Hong-Kong)), Hong Kong became a Special Administrative Region under the control of the Chinese central government. The plan was that the region would enjoy [autonomy](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/autonomy) under the principle of “one [country](https://www.britannica.com/topic/nation-state), two systems,” an idea proposed during the 1980s by Chinese Premier [Deng Xiaoping](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Deng-Xiaoping), and would retain control over its internal matters—that is, its courts, its rule-making and executive government, and its internal security. In return, China would rule over Hong Kong’s [foreign affairs](https://www.britannica.com/topic/international-relations) and would take charge of its external security. In 1997 the colony was returned to China, after a 20-year period in which Hong Kong had blossomed into one of the world’s premier trading centers. Western governments wondered whether Hong Kong’s prosperity, ostensibly driven by capitalism and Western values, would spread to the rest of China. In the years that followed, Hong Kong’s economy continued to grow, as economic ties and transportation [infrastructure](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/infrastructure) between the region and the rest of China grew. Some experts, including officials from mainland China, continue to insist that the “one country, two systems” approach has been successful, arguing that the region’s contrasts with the mainland remain clear. They cite the individual freedoms enjoyed by Hong Kong’s residents and the region’s continued economic performance as examples. Other experts disagree. They note that the “one country, two systems” ideal appears to be devolving, with Hong Kong becoming a haven for corruption and a favorite location for [money laundering](https://www.britannica.com/topic/money-laundering) by upwardly mobile mainland business tycoons. Since 1997 the gap between rich and poor has widened, [exacerbated](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exacerbated) by a tight job market, expensive housing, and the reality that Hong Kong’s importance in the broader Chinese economy is diminishing as China’s overall economy continues to grow. The region was beset by pro-[democracy](https://www.britannica.com/topic/democracy) demonstrations that lasted 79 days in 2014. The Umbrella Movement, which took the umbrella as a symbol of resistance, sprang from the protests that demanded full democracy—that is, the right of Hong Kong residents to elect their own government officials without interference from the mainland. (The [Chinese Communist Party](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Chinese-Communist-Party) is in the habit of handpicking Hong Kong’s candidates on the basis of their loyalty to the communist government.) Hong Kong’s latest leader, [Carrie Lam](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Carrie-Lam), sworn in by Chinese President [Xi Jinping](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Xi-Jinping) on July 1, has been accused by scholars and pro-democracy legislators of being the latest product of Chinese interference. In the aftermath of the Umbrella Revolution, Hong Kong continues to struggle with its identity as its ties with the mainland grow. Many in Hong Kong believe that the influence Western experts hoped for in 1997 has worked in reverse, with mainland communist-style rules and politics slowly taking over life in Hong Kong. ## Learn More About This Topic