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The region ofHong Kong has been inhabited since theOld Stone Age, later becoming part of the Chinese Empire with its loose incorporation into theQin dynasty (221–206 BC). Starting out as afarming fishingvillage and salt production site, it became an important free port and eventually a major internationalfinancial center.[1]
TheQing dynasty ceded Hong Kong to theBritish Empire in 1842 inperpetuity through theTreaty of Nanjing, ending theFirst Opium War. Hong Kong then became a Britishcrown colony.[2] Britain also won theSecond Opium War, forcing the Qing Empire to cedeKowloon in 1860, while leasing theNew Territories for 99 years from 1898 to 1997.[3][4]
Japan occupied Hong Kong from 1941 to 1945 duringWorld War II.[5] By the end of the war in 1945, Hong Konghad been liberated by British troops and returned to British rule.[6] Hong Kong greatly increased its population from refugees from mainland China, particularly during theKorean War and theGreat Leap Forward. In the 1950s, Hong Kong transformed from a territory ofentrepôt trade to one of industry and manufacturing.[7] TheChinese economic reform prompted manufacturers to relocate to China, leading Hong Kong to develop its commercial and financial industry.
In 1984, as the New Territories lease was nearing expiration, British Prime MinisterMargaret Thatcher signed theSino-British Joint Declaration, which incited a wave of emigration from Hong Kong.[8] Thehandover of Hong Kong on 1 July 1997 returned Hong Kong to Chinese rule, and it adopted theHong Kong Basic Law.[9][10]
In the 21st century, Hong Kong has continued to enjoy success as a financial centre. However, civil unrest, dissatisfaction with the government and Chinese influence in general has been a central issue.[11] The planned implementation of Hong Kong Basic LawArticle 23 caused great controversy and amassive demonstration on 1 July 2003, causing the bill to be shelved.[12] Citizens expressed displeasure at their electoral system, culminating in the2014 Hong Kong protests.[13] In 2019, the proposedHong Kong extradition bill was seen as another step taken by theChinese Communist Party to undermine Hong Kong's rule of law, instigating a newwave of protests.[14] In 2020, theNational People's Congress passed theHong Kong national security law to restore stability in the territory. The law was highly scrutinized by thepro-democracy faction and provoked further political pessimism among the populace.[15][16]
Archaeological findings suggesting human activity in Hong Kong date back over 30,000 years. Stone tools from theOld Stone Age have been excavated inSai Kung atWong Tei Tung.[17] The stone tools were perhaps from a stone tool making ground from perhaps theLate Neolithic period orEarly Bronze Age.[18]
Evidence of anUpper Paleolithic settlement was found at Wong Tei Tung beside theThree Fathoms Cove inSai Kung Peninsula. There were 6,000 artifacts found in a slope in the area and jointly confirmed by theHong Kong Archaeological Society and Centre for Lingnan Archaeology ofSun Yat-sen University.[19]
The Neolithic era began approximately 7,000 years ago in Hong Kong. The settlers in this area during that time were theChe people, who also settled on the coast of southern China. Excavations were mostly found on the western shores of Hong Kong. This location was most likely chosen to avoid strong winds from the southeast and to collect food from the nearby shores. Settlement can be found inCheung Chau,Lantau Island andLamma Island.
TheWarring States period brought an influx ofYuet people from the north into the area. Bronze fishing, combat, and ritual tools were excavated on Lantau Island and Lamma Island.Ma Wan was the earliest settlement with direct evidence in Hong Kong. The Yuet people competed and assimilated with the indigenous Che people.[20]
The territory was loosely part of China during theQin dynasty (221–206 BC) and thenNam Viet (203–111 BC).[21] During the Qin dynasty, the territory was governed byPanyu County until the time of theJin dynasty.[22] Archaeological evidence indicates that the population increased during theHan dynasty (206 BC – AD 220). In the 1950s, thetomb at Lei Cheng Uk from theEastern Han dynasty (25–220 AD) was excavated and archaeologists began to investigate the possibility that salt production flourished in Hong Kong around 2,000 years ago, although conclusive evidence has not been found.Tai Po Hoi, the sea of Tai Po, was a majorpearl hunting harbour in China from the Han dynasty through to theMing dynasty (1368–1644), with activities peaking during theSouthern Han (917–971).
During the Jin dynasty until the earlyTang dynasty, Hong Kong was governed byBao'an County. Under the Tang dynasty, theGuangdong region flourished as an international trading centre. TheTuen Mun region in what is now Hong Kong'sNew Territories served as a port, naval base, salt production centre and later as a base for the exploitation of pearls.Lantau Island was also a salt production centre, where riots by salt smugglers against the government broke out. From the middle of the Tang dynasty until the Ming dynasty, Hong Kong was governed byDongguan County.
On 10 May 1278, EmporerZhao Bing, the lastSong dynasty emperor, was enthroned atMui Wo on Lantau Island; this event is commemorated by theSung Wong Toi memorial in Kowloon.[23][24] After his defeat at theBattle of Yamen on 19 March 1279, the child emperor committed suicide by drowning with his officials at Mount Ya (modernYamen Town in Guangdong).[25] During theMongol period, Hong Kong saw its first population boom as Chinese refugees enter the area. Most of these refugees were Chinese Song dynasty loyalists fleeing theMongol conquest of Song China.[25]
Despite the immigration and sparse development of agriculture, the area was hilly and relatively barren. People had to rely on salt, pearl and fishery trades to produce income. Some clans builtwalled villages to protect themselves from the threat of bandits, rival clans and wild animals. The Qing dynasty Chinese pirateCheung Po Tsai became a legend in Hong Kong. In the mid-17th century, after theGreat Clearance policy which purged most of the region's population, under theKangxi Emperor order, manyHakka people migrated from inland China to Xin'an County, which included modern Hong Kong.
During theMing andQing dynasties, Hong Kong remained under the governance of Xin'an County (renamed from Bao'an County), before it was colonised bythe British. As a military outpost and trading port, Hong Kong's territory gained the attention of the world. Before the British colonised theNew Territories andNew Kowloon in 1898,Punti, Hakka,Tanka andHoklo people had migrated to and stayed in Hong Kong for many years. They are theindigenous inhabitants of Hong Kong. The Punti and Hoklo lived in the New Territories while the Tanka and Hakka lived both in the New Territories and Hong Kong Island. British reports on Hong Kong describe the Tanka andHoklo living in Hong Kong "since time unknown".[26][27] TheEncyclopaedia Americana describes Hoklo and Tanka as living in Hong Kong "since prehistoric times".[28][29][30]
When theUnion Flag was raised overPossession Point on 26 January 1841, the population of Hong Kong island was about 7,450, mostly Tanka fishermen andHakkacharcoal burners living in several coastal villages.[31][32] In the 1850s large numbers of Chinese would emigrate from China to Hong Kong due to theTaiping Rebellion. Other events such as floods, typhoons and famine inmainland China would also play a role in establishing Hong Kong as a place to escape.
| Date | Treaty | Outcome | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 January 1841 | Convention of Chuenpi | Preliminary cession ofHong Kong Island to the United Kingdom | IncludedGreen Island andAp Lei Chau. Before the cession ofHong Kong Island, this territory was governed byXin'an County . |
| 29 August 1842 | Treaty of Nanking | Cession ofHong Kong Island, founded as a crown colony of the United Kingdom | |
| 18 October 1860 | Convention of Beijing | Cession ofKowloon | South ofBoundary Street, includingNgong Shuen Chau. Before the cession ofKowloon Peninsula, this territory was governed byXin'an County. |
| 1 July 1898 | Second Convention of Beijing (Convention for the Extension of Hong Kong Territory) | Lease of theNew Territories | South of theShenzhen River inXin'an County, includingNew Kowloon,Lantau and outlying islands. |
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By the early 19th century, the British Empire trade was heavily dependent upon the importation of tea, silk, and porcelain from China.[33][34] While the British exported to China luxury items such as clocks and watches, there remained an overwhelming imbalance in trade. China developed a strong demand for silver, which was a difficult commodity for the British to come by in large quantities. The counterbalance of trade came with exports to China of opium grown in India. By the late 19th century China grew most of the opium it used.[35] A Chinese commissioner,Lin Zexu, voiced toQueen Victoria the Qing state's opposition to the opium trade. TheFirst Opium War which ensued lasted from 1839 to 1842. Britain occupied the island of Hong Kong on 25 January 1841 and used it as a military staging point. China was defeated and was forced to cede Hong Kong in theTreaty of Nanking signed on 29 August 1842. The island became acrown colony of the British Empire.[36]
Christian missionaries founded many schools and churches in Hong Kong. St Stephen's Anglican Church located in West Point was founded by theChurch Mission Society in 1865.Ying Wa Girls' School located in Mid-levels was founded by theLondon Missionary Society in 1900. TheHong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese was founded by the London Missionary Society in 1887, andSun Yat-sen was one of its first two graduates in 1892. The college was the forerunner of the School of Medicine of theUniversity of Hong Kong, which was established in 1911.[citation needed]
Along with fellow studentsYeung Hok-ling,Chan Siu-bak andYau Lit, Sun Yat-sen started to promote the thought of overthrowing the Qing empire while he studied in the Hong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese. The four students were known by the Qing as theFour Bandits. Sun attended To Tsai Church (道濟會堂, founded by the London Missionary Society in 1888) while he studied in this college. Sun led the1911 Revolution, which changed China from an empire to a republic.[citation needed]
In April 1899, the residents ofKam Tin rebelled against the colonial government. They defended themselves inKat Hing Wai, a walled village. After several unsuccessful attacks by the British troops, the iron gate was blasted open. The gate was then shipped to London for exhibition. Under the demand of theTang clan in 1924, the gate was eventually returned in 1925 by the 16th governor,Sir Reginald Stubbs.[citation needed]
The first gas company opened in 1862. In 1890 came thefirst electric company. For local travel rickshaws gave way tobuses,ferries, andtrams.Imperial Airways set up a base in 1936.[37] Every industry went through major transformation and growth. Western-style education made advances through the efforts ofFrederick Stewart.[38] This was a crucial step in separating Hong Kong from mainland China during the political turmoil associated with the falling Qing dynasty. The base of the future financial center was formed with the opening ofThe Hongkong and Shanghai Bank in 1865.[39]
TheThird Pandemic ofBubonic Plague attacked Hong Kong in the1894 Hong Kong plague. It provided the pretext forracial zoning with the creation ofPeak Reservation Ordinance[40] and recognising the importance of thefirst hospital.[citation needed]
On the outbreak of World War I in 1914, fear of a possible attack on the colony led to an exodus of 60,000 Chinese. However,Hong Kong during World War I saw no direct military action, and Hong Kong's population continued to boom in the following decades from 530,000 in 1916 to 725,000 in 1925. Nonetheless, the crisis in mainland China in the 1920s and 1930s left Hong Kong vulnerable to a strategic invasion fromImperial Japan.[citation needed]
In 1937, Hong Kong wasstruck by a major typhoon.[citation needed]
In 1860, at the end of the Second Opium War, the United Kingdom gained a perpetual lease over the Kowloon Peninsula, which is the mainland Chinese area just across the strait from Hong Kong Island. This agreement was part of the Convention of Beijing that ended that conflict.[citation needed]
During the second half of the 19th century, the British became increasingly wary of the Chinese-controlled islands surrounding their newly bought port. After theSecond Opium War (1898,Convention for the Extension of Hong Kong Territory) the British negotiated a lease of the "New Territories" in which the British would receive newer outlying islands for 99 years.[42]
On 19 December 1984, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and Chinese Premier Zhao Ziyang signed the Sino-British Joint Declaration, in which Britain agreed to return not only the New Territories but also Kowloon and Hong Kong itself when the lease term expired. China promised to implement a "One Country, Two Systems" regime, under which for fifty years Hong Kong citizens could continue to practice capitalism and political freedoms forbidden on the mainland.[43]
On 1 July 1997 (28 years ago) (1997-07-01), the lease ended, and the United Kingdom transferred control of Hong Kong and surrounding territories to the People's Republic of China.[citation needed][44]
Hong Kong was occupied by Japan from 23 December 1941 to 15 August 1945. The period, called '3 years and 8 months' halted the economy. The British, Canadians, Indians and the Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Forces resisted the Japanese invasion commanded bySakai Takashi which started on 8 December 1941, eight hours after theattack on Pearl Harbor. Japan achieved air superiority on the first day of battle and the defensive forces were outnumbered. The British and the Indians retreated from theGin Drinker's Line and consequently fromKowloon under heavy aerial bombardment and artillery barrage. Fierce fighting continued onHong Kong Island; the onlyreservoir was lost. CanadianWinnipeg Grenadiers fought at the crucialWong Nai Chong Gap, which was the passage between the north and the secluded southern parts of the island.[citation needed]
On 25 December 1941, referred to asBlack Christmas by locals, British colonial officials headed by thegovernor of Hong Kong,Mark Aitchison Young, surrendered in person at the Japanese headquarters on the third floor of thePeninsula Hotel.Isogai Rensuke became the first Japanese governor of Hong Kong.
During the Japanese occupation,hyper-inflation and food rationing became the norm of daily lives. It became unlawful to ownHong Kong dollars, which were replaced by theJapanese military yen, a currency without reserves issued by theImperial Japanese Army administration. During the three and half years of occupation by the Japanese, an estimated 10,000 Hong Kong civilians were executed, while many others were tortured, raped, or mutilated.[45] Philip Snow, a prominent historian of the period, said that the Japanese cut rations for civilians to conserve food for soldiers, usually to starvation levels and deported many to famine- and disease-ridden areas of themainland. Most of the repatriated had come to Hong Kong just a few years earlier to flee the terror of theSecond Sino-Japanese War in mainland China.
By the end of the war in 1945, Hong Kong had been liberated by joint British and Chinese troops. The population of Hong Kong had shrunk to 600,000; less than half of the pre-war population of 1.6 million due to scarcity of food and emigration. Thecommunist revolution in China in 1949 led to another population boom in Hong Kong. Thousands ofrefugees emigrated from mainland China to Hong Kong, and made it an importantentrepôt until the United Nations ordered atrade embargo on mainland China due to theKorean War. More refugees came during theGreat Leap Forward.
After the Second World War, the trend of decolonization swept across the world. Still, Britain chose to keep Hong Kong for strategic reasons. To consolidate its rule, constitutional changes, theYoung Plan, were proposed in response to the trend of decolonization so as to meet the needs of the people. The political and institutional system made only minimal changes due to the political instability in mainland China at that time (aforementioned) which caused an influx of mainland residents to Hong Kong.
Skills and capital brought by refugees of mainland China, especially from Shanghai, along with a vast pool of cheap labour helped revive the economy. At the same time, many foreign firms relocated their offices from Shanghai to Hong Kong. Enjoying unprecedented growth, Hong Kong transformed from a territory ofentrepôt trade to one of industry and manufacturing. The early industrial centres, where many of the workers spent the majority of their days, turned out anything that could be produced with small space frombuttons,artificial flowers,umbrellas,textile,enamelware,footwear toplastics.
Large squatter camps developed throughout the territory providing homes for the massive and growing number of immigrants. The camps, however, posed a fire and health hazard, leading to disasters like theShek Kip Mei Fire. GovernorAlexander Grantham responded with a "multi-storey buildings" plan as a standard. It was the beginning of the high-rise buildings. Conditions in public housing were very basic with several families sharing communal cooking facilities. Other aspects of life changed as traditionalCantonese opera gave way tobig screen cinemas.The tourism industry began to formalise.North Point was known as"Little Shanghai" (小上海), since in the minds of many, it had already become the replacement for the surrendered Shanghai in China.[46]
The manufacturing industry opened a new decade employing large sections of the population. The period is considered a turning point for Hong Kong's economy. The construction business was also revamped with new detailed guidelines for the first time since World War II. While Hong Kong started out with a lowGDP, it used the textile industry as the foundation to boost the economy. China'scultural revolution put Hong Kong on a new political stage. Events like the1967 riot filled the streets withhome-made bombs and chaos. Bomb disposal experts from the police and theBritish military defused as many as 8,000 home-made bombs. One in every eight bombs was genuine.[47]
Family values and Chinese tradition were challenged as people spent more time in the factories than at home. Other features of the period included water shortages, long working hours coupled with extremely low wages. TheHong Kong Flu of 1968 infected 15% of the population.[48] Amidst all the struggle, "Made in Hong Kong" went from a label that marked cheap low-grade products to a label that marked high-quality products.[49][when?]
The 1970s saw the extension ofgovernment subsidised education from six years to nine years and the setup of Hong Kong'scountry parks system.[citation needed]
The opening of the mainland Chinese market and rising salaries drove many manufacturers north. Hong Kong consolidated its position as a commercial and tourism centre in Asia. Highlife expectancy, literacy, per-capita income and other socio-economic measures attest to Hong Kong's achievements over the last four decades of the 20th century. Higher income also led to the introduction of the first high-rise,private housing estates withTaikoo Shing. From this time, people's homes became part of Hong Kong's skyline and scenery.
In 1974,Murray McLehose founded theICAC, the Independent Commission Against Corruption, to combat corruption within thepolice force. The corruption was so widespread that a mass police petition took place resisting prosecutions. Despite early opposition to the ICAC by the police force, Hong Kong was successful in its anti-corruption efforts, eventually becoming one of theleast corrupt societies in the world.
The early 1970s saw legislation requiring equal pay and benefits for equal work by men and women, including the right for married women to be permanent employees.[50][51][52]
In 1982, the British prime minister,Margaret Thatcher, hoped that the increasing openness of the PRC government and theeconomic reform in the mainland would allow the continuation of British rule. The resulting meeting led to the signing ofSino-British Joint Declaration and the proposal of theOne country, two systems concept byDeng Xiaoping. But this time, Hong Kong was recognised as one of the wealthiest representatives of the far east. Political news dominated the media; whilereal estate took a major upswing, the financial world was rattled by panics, resulting in waves of changes in policy andBlack Saturday. Warnings of the cominghandover raisedemigration levels to historic highs. Many left Hong Kong for the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, and anywhere else in the world without any communist influence.
Hong Kong's Cinema enjoyed one paramount run that put it on the international map. Some of the biggest names includedJackie Chan andChow Yun-fat. The music world also saw a new group ofcantopop stars likeAnita Mui andLeslie Cheung.
On 4 April 1990, theHong Kong Basic Law was officially accepted as the mini-constitution of the Hong Kong SAR after the handover. The pro-Beijing bloc welcomed the Basic Law, calling it the most democratic legal system to ever exist in the PRC. The pro-democratic bloc criticised it as not democratic enough. In July 1992,Chris Patten was appointed as the last Britishgovernor of Hong Kong. Patten had been the chairman of theConservative Party in the United Kingdom until he lost his parliamentary seat in thegeneral election earlier that year. Relations with the PRC government in Beijing became increasingly strained, asPatten introduced democratic reforms that increased the number of elected members in theLegislative Council. The PRC government viewed this as a breach of the Basic Law. On 1 July 1997, Hong Kong was handed over to Communist China by the United Kingdom. The old Legislative Council, elected under Chris Patten's reforms, was replaced by the Provisional Legislative Council elected by a selection committee whose members were appointed by the PRC government.Tung Chee Hwa assumed duty as the firstchief executive of Hong Kong, elected in December by a selection committee with members appointed by the PRC government. He immediately reappointed the entire team of policy secretaries, guaranteeing significant continuity.[53]
| Unchanged after 1997 | Changed after 1997 |
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Chinese communists portrayed the return of Hong Kong as key moment in the PRC's rise togreat power status.[56]: 51
The new millennium signalled a series of events. A sizeable portion of the population that was previously against the handover found itself living with the adjustments.Article 23 became a controversy, and led to marches in different parts of Hong Kong with as many as 750,000 people out of a population of approximately 6,800,000 at the time. The government also dealt with theSARS outbreak in 2003. A further health crisis, theBird Flu Pandemic (H5N1) gained momentum from the late 1990s, and led to the disposal of millions of chickens and other poultry. The slaughter put Hong Kong at the centre of global attention. At the same time, the economy tried to adjust fiscally. Within a short time, the political climate heated up and the chief executive position was challenged culturally, politically and managerially.
Hong Kong's skylines have continued to evolve, with three new skyscrapers dominating, each inKowloon,Tsuen Wan, andVictoria, Hong Kong. The 415-metre-tall (1,362 ft) 88-storeyTwo International Finance Centre, completed in 2003, previously Hong Kong's tallest building, has been eclipsed by the 484-metre-tall (1,588 ft), 118-storeyInternational Commerce Centre in West Kowloon, which was topped-out in 2010 and remains the tallest skyscraper in Hong Kong. Also worth mentioning is the 320-meter-tall (1,050-foot)Nina Tower located inTsuen Wan. Eight additional skyscrapers over 250 meters (820 feet) have also been completed during this time.[57]
Occupy Central with Love and Peace (OCLP; 讓愛與和平佔領中環 or 和平佔中) was a single-purpose Hong Kong civil disobedience campaign convened by Reverend Chu Yiu-ming, Dr Benny Tai Yiu-ting, and Chan Kin-man on 27 March 2013. Its aim was to pressure the PRC Government into reforming the systems for election of the Hong Kong chief executive and Legislative Council so as to satisfy "international standards in relation to universal suffrage" as promised in the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration and Article 45 of the 1997 Hong Kong Basic Law. Its manifesto called for occupation of the region's central business district if such reforms were not made. Upstaged by the Hong Kong Federation of Students (HKFS) and Scholarism in September 2014, its leaders joined in theOccupy Central protests.[citation needed]
The number of impoverished Hongkongers hit a record high in 2016 with one in five people living below the poverty line.[58] Along with housing issues was growing sentiment over the influence of theChinese Communist Party and Chinese culture. Theanti-Hong Kong Express Rail Link movement protested at the proposed Hong Kong section of theGuangzhou–Shenzhen–Hong Kong Express Rail Link; the link was nevertheless completed in 2018. TheHong Kong 818 incident, inhibited by the visit ofLi Keqiang, caused controversy regarding civil rights violations. TheMoral and National Education controversy exemplified the conflict betweencommunist andnationalist positions of China's government with democratic sentiments expressed by Hong Kong citizens.
The2016 Legislative Council election saw the localists emerging as a new political force behind thepro-Beijing andpan-democracy camps by winning six seats in Hong Kong'sgeographical constituencies. However, six candidates werebarred from contesting by theElectoral Affairs Commission, due to their association with theHong Kong independence movement. Another six localist members who were elected were disqualified in theHong Kong Legislative Council oath-taking controversy. After the5th Hong Kong Chief Executive election, Carrie Lam became the first female chief executive of Hong Kong. However, her proposal of theFugitive Offenders and Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Legislation (Amendment) Bill 2019 has led tomass demonstrations against its implementation. The bill would make it legal for China to extradite criminals from Hong Kong, potentially includingpolitical prisoners. It is feared that the bill would cause the city to open itself up to the reach ofmainland Chinese law and that people from Hong Kongcould become subject to a different legal system.
TheCOVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong is part of theworldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused bysevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The virus was first confirmed to have spread to Hong Kong on 23 January 2020.[59] Confirmed cases were generally transferred toPrincess Margaret Hospital's Infectious Disease Centre for isolation and centralised treatment. On 5 February, after a five-day strike by front-line medical workers, the Hong Kong government closed all but three border control points includingHong Kong International Airport,Shenzhen Bay Control Point, andHong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge Control Point remaining open.
Hong Kong was relatively unscathed by the first wave of the COVID-19 outbreak and had a flatter epidemic curve than most other places, which observers consider remarkable given its status as an international transport hub. Furthermore, its proximity to China and its millions of mainland visitors annually would make it vulnerable.[60] Some experts now believe the habit ofwearing masks in public since the SARS epidemic of 2003 may have helped keep its confirmed infections at 845, with four deaths, by the beginning of April.[60] In a study published in April 2020 in theLancet, the authors expressed their belief that border restrictions, quarantine and isolation, social distancing, and behavioural changes such as wearing masks likely all played a part in the containment of the disease up to the end of March.[61] Others attributed the success to critical thinking of citizens who have become accustomed to distrusting the competence and political motivations of the government, theWorld Health Organization, and theChinese Communist Party.[62]
After a much smaller second wave in late March and April 2020 caused by overseas returnees rushing to beat mandatory quarantine,[63] Hong Kong saw a substantial uptick in COVID cases in July, with more than a hundred cases being reported several days in a row until early August. Experts attributed this third wave to imported cases – sea crew, aircrew members, and domestic helpers made up the majority of 3rd wave infections.[64] In late November 2020 the city entered a fourth wave, called "severe" by Chief ExecutiveCarrie Lam. The initial driver behind the fourth wave was a group of dance clubs in which wealthy, predominantly female Hong Kongers danced together and had dance lessons with mostly younger male dance instructors.[65] Measures taken in response included a suspension of school classroom teaching until the end of the year, and an order for restaurants to seat only two persons per table and close at 10:00 p.m. taking effect on 2 December;[66] a further tightening of restrictions saw, among other measures, a 6 pm closing time of restaurants starting from 10 December, and a mandate for authorities to order partial lockdowns in locations with multiple cases of COVID-19 until all residents were tested.[67] From late January 2021, the government pursued repeatedly locked down residential buildings to conduct mass testing. A free mass vaccination program with theSinovac vaccine andPfizer–BioNTech vaccine was launched on 26 February. The government sought to counter thevaccine hesitancy by material incentives, which led to an acceleration of vaccinations in June.[68]
Hong Kong was one of few countries and territories to pursue a "zero-COVID" elimination strategy, by essentially closing all its borders and, until February 2022, subjecting even mild and asymptomatic cases to hospitalisation, and sometimes isolation extending over several weeks. The fifth,Omicron variant driven wave of the pandemic emerging in late December 2021[69] caused the health system to be stretched to its limits, the mandatory hospitalization to be abandoned,[70] and led several experts to question the zero-COVID strategy. Some even considered it counterproductive, due to it having nourished hopes that the city would eventually become free of the virus, and thus having led to a low COVID-19 vaccination rate in the city.[71] Most of the deaths in the fifth wave were among the unvaccinated elderly.[72]
TheStanding Committee of the National People's Congress established theHong Kong national security law which came into effect on 1 July 2020. In November 2020 theNational People's Congress authorised the dismissal of any Legco members who are perceived to ask for help from foreign countries and who "refuse to recognise China's sovereignty over Hong Kong." After multiple pro-Democracy members of Legco resigned, the Government of the United Kingdom stated that the PRC was not upholding the Sino-British treaty.[73]
On 27 January 2021,CCP general secretaryXi Jinping said that Hong Kong could only maintain its long-term stability and security by ensuring "patriots governing Hong Kong" when he heard a work report delivered by Carrie Lam.[74] On 1 March, HKMAO directorXia Baolong in the seminar of "patriots governing Hong Kong" stated that Hong Kong must establish a "democratic electoral system with Hong Kong characteristics."[75]
A "decision on improving the electoral system of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region" was passed by theNational People's Congress (NPC) on 11 March 2021 to rewrite theelection rules inHong Kong to ensure a system of "patriots governing Hong Kong,"[76][77] By amending the Annex I andAnnex II of theBasic Law of Hong Kong, the composition of theLegislative Council (LegCo) and theElection Committee (EC). All electoral candidates of Chief Executive, Legislative Council Member, and Election Committee Member require prior approval from theCandidate Eligibility Review Committee.
On 23 June 2021, the pro-democracy tabloidApple Daily announced that its final edition would be released on Thursday and that it would later cease activities after five top executives were arrested under the national security law and the tabloid's assets were frozen.Apple Daily founderJimmy Lai is already imprisoned and awaits trial, along with 46 others, on subversion charges.[78]
In late 2022, it was announced that theRomer's tree frog would be reintroduced to Hong Kong, furthermore known as rewilding. The forest on Hong Kong contains the air that is just thick with the buzzing of insects, singing of birds, chattering monkeys, and especially myriad other animals. This forest in Hong Kong is almost completely silent. That has argued that it surprises people to finally discover the considered verdant landscape being a contemporary addition in over the history, since of its started removal in industrial scale to create space for agriculture and to advance the fuel of those ceramics industry. Despite the growth, there were fewer animals to fill the emerging forests. The 200 kilometers of urban land between here and there have created an insurmountable barrier to wildlife migration. Similar to this city,mainland China has successful reintroductions of species, such as Pere David's deer that became extinct in start of 20th century. It has been proposed that supporting the natural regeneration of forests offers a benefit, such as simplest tools in climate catastrophe. Thegovernment of Hong Kong is committed to promoting local biodiversity and helping to mitigate climate emergencies, as outlined in theStrategic Biodiversity Action Plan each time.[79]
On November 26, 2024, theHong Kong Court of Final Appeal rules against theHong Kong Housing Authority and upholds rulings in lower courts allowing same-sex couples married overseas to avail of subsidised housing and be covered by existing inheritance laws.[80][further explanation needed]
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The Hoklo people, like the Tanka, have been in the area since time unknown. They too are boat-dwellers but are less numerous than the Tanka and are mostly found in eastern waters. In some places, they have lived ashore for several
In Hong Kong, the Tanka and Hoklo peoples have dwelt in houseboats since prehistoric times. These houseboaters seldom marry shore dwellers. The Hong Kong government estimated that in December 1962 46459 people were living on houseboats there, although a typhoon had wrecked hundreds of boats a few months earlier.
1990 50,000 inhabitants
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1Taiwan isclaimed by thePeople's Republic of China but administered by theRepublic of China (seepolitical status of Taiwan). | ||
