Hong Kong

In putonghua (Mandarin), Hong Kong is called Xianggang. Xianggang means 'fragrant harbour'. Hong Kong is one of the most beautiful natural harbours in the world. The word Hong Kong derives from the Cantonese pronunciation. The people in Hong Kong are mostly speakers of Cantonese, and so it is their word for the island which became familiar in the West.

1839-42 First Opium War between Britain and China

1841 First British naval landings on Hong Kong after convention of Chuanbi

1842 Hong Kong island ceded to Britain by the Treaty of Nanjing.

1856-60 Second Opium War. British and French burned the Summer Palace in Beijing to the ground.

1860 Kowloon Peninsula and Stonecutters Island ceded to Britain by the Treaty of Beijing.

1860-64 British troops helped to suppress Taiping Rebellion.

1898 99 year lease on the New Territories began on 1 July 1898.

1900 Boxer Rebellion suppressed by allied troops.

1925 Workers' strike in Guangzhou and Hong Kong brutally suppressed by Police.

1941-45 Japanese occupation of Hong Kong and New Territories.

1943 USA and UK relinquished rights to extraterritoriality in China.

1946 Large numbers of refugees from the Civil War in China began to enter Hong Kong.

1950 Britain recognised the People's Republic of China.

1956 Riots in Hong Kong involving supporters of the Communists and Nationalists (KMT or Guomindang).

1966 'Star Ferry' riots in Hong Kong.

1967 Riots in Hong Kong connected with the Cultural Revolution in PRC.

1972 British Foreign Secretary (Douglas-Home) visited Beijing.

1973 Exhibition of British technology in Beijing.

1974 Prime Minister Heath visited China.

1979 'Boat People' started to arrive from Vietnam.

1980 'Touch-base' policy (allowing illegal immigrants from China who reached the urban areas of Hong Kong to stay) abandoned.

1982 Prime Minister Thatcher visited Beijing. Peng Zhen made statement on the future of Hong Kong. Negotiations on the future of Hong Kong began.

1984 Sino-British Accord on Hong Kong: Hong Kong to be a 'Special Administrative Region' of China.

1997 Hong Kong, Kowloon and the New Territories returned to China from 1 July 1997.

1839-42	First Opium War between Britain and China
1841	First British naval landings on Hong Kong after convention of Chuanbi
1842	Hong Kong island ceded to Britain by the Treaty of Nanjing.
1856-60	Second Opium War. British and French burned the Summer Palace in Beijing to the ground.
1860	Kowloon Peninsula and Stonecutters Island ceded to Britain by the Treaty of Beijing.
1860-64	British troops helped to suppress Taiping Rebellion.
1898	99 year lease on the New Territories began on 1 July 1898.
1900	Boxer Rebellion suppressed by allied troops.
1925	Workers' strike in Guangzhou and Hong Kong brutally suppressed by Police.
1941-45	Japanese occupation of Hong Kong and New Territories.
1943	USA and UK relinquished rights to extraterritoriality in China.
1946	Large numbers of refugees from the Civil War in China began to enter Hong Kong.
1950	Britain recognised the People's Republic of China.
1956	Riots in Hong Kong involving supporters of the Communists and Nationalists (KMT or Guomindang).
1966	'Star Ferry' riots in Hong Kong.
1967	Riots in Hong Kong connected with the Cultural Revolution in PRC.
1972	British Foreign Secretary (Douglas-Home) visited Beijing.
1973	Exhibition of British technology in Beijing.
1974	Prime Minister Heath visited China.
1979	'Boat People' started to arrive from Vietnam.
1980	'Touch-base' policy (allowing illegal immigrants from China who reached the urban areas of Hong Kong to stay) abandoned.
1982	Prime Minister Thatcher visited Beijing. Peng Zhen made statement on the future of Hong Kong. Negotiations on the future of Hong Kong began.
1984	Sino-British Accord on Hong Kong: Hong Kong to be a 'Special Administrative Region' of China.
1997	Hong Kong, Kowloon and the New Territories returned to China from 1 July 1997.