A New Era Rises in Hong Kong

“This is both a festival for the Chinese nation and a vctory for the universal cause of peace and justice.”--Chinese President Jiang Zemin

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“I have relinquished the administration of this government. God save the queen.”--Former Gov. Chris Patten, in telegram to Foreign Office

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“The most precious thing for a nation and a people is to be master of their own destiny.”--Tung Chee-hwa, new chief executive of Hong Kong

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In a ceremony brimming with triumphant nationalism, China today reclaimed Hong Kong, prized possession of a vanishing British empire, hoisting the red flag of the People’s Republic over one of Asia’s most prosperous territories and ending 156 years of colonial rule.

Welcoming Hong Kong to the “embrace of the motherland,” Chinese President Jiang Zemin promised that its 6.3 million residents, many of whom came here as refugees from the mainland, “shall enjoy various rights and freedoms according to law.” Executive, legislative and judicial authority, Jiang said, will remain with the newly created Hong Kong special administrative region.

Less than an hour after the midnight hand-over ceremony, Tung Chee-hwa, a Hong Kong shipping magnate, was sworn in as the first chief executive. The new Provisional Legislature, approved by Beijing, convened for its first meeting and immediately repealed some civil liberties laws made under British rule.

Meanwhile, China assumed responsibility for foreign affairs and defense. Early this morning, 4,000 troops of the People’s Liberation Army moved into Hong Kong by air, land and sea, taking over garrisons abandoned by departing British forces.

This main force of soldiers joined a smaller contingent that was deployed hours before the hand-over.

Moving slowly across the barbed-wire frontier in long convoys of open trucks and armored personnel carriers with machine guns mounted on turrets, the troops were warmly welcomed this morning by residents of Hong Kong’s New Territories, some of whom draped garlands around the soldiers’ necks.

Having successfully managed the transfer of power from British to Chinese rule with remarkable smoothness and precise timing, the leaders of China and Hong Kong then set about to win the hearts and minds of their people.

Jiang opened a ceremony this morning to inaugurate the new Hong Kong government with a speech aired across China that called for the “overall rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.” More than any other single moment since he was lifted from relative obscurity to the Chinese leadership in 1989, Jiang’s appearance as the first top Chinese leader in Hong Kong in more than 150 years will likely enhance his status as supreme leader of the world’s most populous country.

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Tung, echoing Jiang’s appeal to greater Chinese nationhood and traditional Chinese values, followed by announcing plans for reforms in education, housing and care for the elderly in the territory. All three issues, particularly housing reform, respond to key concerns of the Hong Kong population.

In a statement aimed at appeasing democratic elements of the Hong Kong political class, as well as addressing the concerns of Western governments, Tung said the laws governing the new special administrative region will “ensure that Hong Kong’s own freedoms with which it is accustomed, as well as its way of life, will remain the same.”

The rapid, carefully choreographed establishment of a new order in Hong Kong came after a remarkable day of nostalgia, pageantry, protests and heavy rain. Across the territory, between rain showers, people celebrated or contemplated Hong Kong’s future with dragon dances, teach-ins, raucous parties and a dramatic fireworks display over Hong Kong Harbor.

At the midnight hand-over ceremony, Jiang told the audience of 4,000 international VIPs, diplomats and local leaders: “This is both a festival for the Chinese nation and a victory for the universal cause of peace and justice. Thus, July 1, 1997, will go down in the annals of history as a day that merits eternal memory.”

Britain’s final withdrawal from its last major colony began Monday afternoon with Gov. Chris Patten’s emotional farewell to his household staff and aides-de-camp at Government House. He bit his lip and bowed his head as the colonial Hong Kong flag was lowered for the last time and presented to him, carefully folded, on a blue cushion. Before he left, his gleaming Rolls-Royce circled the driveway three times in a symbolic Chinese gesture promising his return.

The most potent symbol of the day was the relentless rain, disguising tears and purging the vapors of colonialism. In Chinese superstition, rain and wind are good omens for historic occasions. But the departing British, whose farewell ceremony was outdoors, appeared to suffer from the inclement weather.

When Britain’s Prince Charles spoke at a drenched British farewell celebration, the rain streamed from the peak of his cap and dripped steadily onto the golden epaulets of his naval uniform. The tall bear-fur hats worn by bandsmen of Britain’s famous infantry regiment the Scots Guards looked limp and formless in the deluge.

Even inside the cavernous Grand Hall of the Hong Kong Convention Center, where the precisely timed hand-over ceremony took place several hours later, the guests--including many overseas Chinese from the United States and Canada--could not escape the rain. The just-completed and still-leaky roof of the landmark building dribbled copiously on dignitaries.

But the rain didn’t seem to dampen the swelling nationalistic sentiments of the Chinese invitees to the formal and solemn hand-over ceremony. In the minutes on either side of midnight, the British and colonial flags descended to the strains of “God Save the Queen” and the spirits of the Chinese lifted as their flag rose alongside the new Hong Kong standard on the halyard.

As the new flags unfurled, with the help of special wind machines blowing from stage left, the prince’s brow furrowed, Patten looked bereft and Chinese Premier Li Peng smiled a bit.

As the Chinese military honor guard goose-stepped from the stage, shiny bayonets glinting, the audience broke into applause. After the ceremony, most of the British departed, but many mainland and Hong Kong Chinese remained and took pictures of each other standing in front of the stage and the red Chinese flag.

As sovereignty changed, a cable from Patten arrived in London: “I have relinquished the administration of this government. God save the queen.”

“China will tonight take responsibility for a place and a people which matter greatly to us all,” Charles said in a short speech before the flag ceremony. “We shall not forget you, and we shall watch with the closest interest as you embark on this new era of your remarkable history.”

Patten’s controversial attempt during his five-year tenure to instill at least a little democracy was meant to guarantee Hong Kong’s autonomy before China took control. But one of the first moves of the new Hong Kong government was to dismantle the legislature elected under rules that Beijing did not approve and to change some of the laws that body had passed.

In his inaugural speech, Tung said: “After 156 years of separation, Hong Kong and China are whole again. This is a solemn, stately and proud moment. We are here today to announce to the world, in our language, that Hong Kong has entered a new era.”

Tung then swore in the top departmental secretaries of his new government, led by Chief Secretary Anson Chan.

Finally, members of the Provisional Legislature took their oath--and promptly went to work. Within an hour, they had passed a set of “reunification bills” that had been prepared beforehand.

The 13 bills included provisions to restrict protests, curb foreign funding of political parties and outlaw advocating independence for Taiwan or Tibet. The new laws will be applied retroactively to the first minutes of July 1, Tung said, making it theoretically possible to prosecute demonstrators who broke laws that had not yet been passed.

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As the Provisional Legislature was passing its first law, members of the original council who lost their seats at midnight gathered on the balustraded balcony of the Legislative Council building to stage their own protest.

“We want Hong Kong and China to advance together,” Democratic Party leader Martin Lee said to an applauding crowd of about 5,000 supporters. “We’re proud to be Chinese. But we ask ourselves this question: Why must we pay such a high price to become Chinese again? Why won’t China give us democracy?”

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HONG KONG HAND-OVER

A Special Brew

Hong Kong hand-over is being marked by a Red Dawn. South China Brewing Co. has produced a special “Red Dawn” lager for celebrations heralding the changeover. The South China Morning Post, giving its verdict on the beer, concluded: “When you wake up from a drunken stupor sometime on July 1, it’s good to have the label on hand to remind you that you are no longer in British territory.”

GLOSSARY

One Country, Two Systems: One country, China, and Hong Kong is part of it. Two systems, socialism and capitalism. China has said Hong Kong can keep its political system, laws and free-market economy for fifty years.

Through Train: Hong Kong’s institutions--the legislature, judiciary and civil service--were supposed to make the transition to Chinese sovereignty without interruption.

Basic Law: Is a guarantee by Beijing that individuals have the right to travel, form trade unions and express opinions.

Key events in history of Hong Kong:

--1841: Hong Kong island settled by British.

--1860: China cedes Kowloon peninsula to Britain for all time.

--1840-1940: Hong Kong expands and thrives as emigration and trading center for mainland China.

--1949-1950: About 750,000 Chinese flee to Hong Kong as communists take over mainland.

--1972: China, newly admitted to the United Nations, indicates it wants Hong Kong back.

--Dec. 19, 1984: British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and Chinese Premier Zhao Ziyang sign accord to return Hong Kong to Chinese sovereignty.

--July 1, 1997: British turn over Hong Kong to China.

CHINA MILITARY CONTINGENT

On June 30, Chinese troops began entering Hong Kong through Lok Ma Chau

4,000 troops

10 ships

6 helicopters

21 armored cars

400 vehicles

Population

INHABITANTS

Chinese: 98$

Other: 2%

* Hong Kong’s 6.3 million people squeeze into 423 square miles.

* More than half the inhabitants live in public housing, a world record

EMIGRANTS

Over a third of those who emigrated in 1995 were professionals. Canada, the United States, New Zealand and Australia are the major destinations of those leaving Hong Kong

Hong Kong Emigration:

1980s: 20,000*

1990: 62,000

1995: 43,100

*per year

Changes

Name

Before July 1: Hong Kong

Now: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China

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Symbols

Before July 1: Union Jack, portraits of Queen Elizabeth II

Now: Chinese national flag, bauhinia flower

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Judiciary

Before July 1: Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London

Now: Final Court of Appeal in Hong Kong

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Military

Before July 1: British forces

Now: China’s People’s Liberation Army

Government

Before July 1: Chris Patten, a former member of the British Parliament, was appointed governor of the British colony of Hong Kong by Prime Minister John Major in 1992.

Now: Tung Chee-hwa, who served in Chris Patten’s inner Cabinet, was selected by Beijing as chief executive of the new Special Administrative Region. The shipping tycoon has drawn skepticism for defending efforts to curtail civil liberties. His 15-member Cabinet includes both new pro-China figures and holdovers from the colonial government.