First Page
503
Abstract
On June 30, 1997, the United Kingdom will cede administrative control of Hong Kong to the People's Republic of China. Hong Kong achieved great prosperity under British rule, but the affect of China's influence on Hong Kong's future economic success is an issue of much concern as the 1997 transfer of sovereignty nears. This Note analyzes the transfer of sovereignty and what it will mean to Hong Kong's economic future. The author outlines the history of Hong Kong and discusses the British role in creating the prosperous colony. The author then analyzes the Joint Declaration, the document which governs the transfer of sovereignty, and the Basic Law, which will serve as Hong Kong's constitution. The author addresses the current climate in Hong Kong, focusing on attitudes and developments in both Hong Kong and China, to evaluate how the upcoming transfer has been received and what effects it has created. The author concludes that the Hong Kong of the future will continue to prosper and remain a Pacific economic center. However, the brightest days of Hong Kong have passed, and Hong Kong will not likely recapture the financial success of the "glory days" of the late 1980s.
Recommended Citation
John H. Henderson,
The Reintegration of Hong Kong into the People's Republic of China,
28 Vanderbilt Law Review
503
(2021)
Available at: https://scholarship.law.vanderbilt.edu/vjtl/vol28/iss3/8