What kind of agreement did UK and China have before returning Hong Kong?

On December 19, 1984, after years of negotiations, British and Chinese leaders signed a formal pact approving the 1997 turnover of the colony in exchange for the formulation of a “one country, two systems” policy by China’s communist government.

Why is the Sino-British Joint Declaration important to Hong Kong?

The Sino-British Joint Declaration is a treaty between the governments of the United Kingdom and China signed in 1984 setting the conditions in which Hong Kong was transferred to Chinese control and for the governance of the territory after 1 July 1997.

When was Hong Kong returned to China?

1997
The U.K. government said China is in a “state of ongoing non-compliance” with the Sino-British Joint Declaration, a treaty signed by the two countries that guarantees Hong Kong’s rights and freedoms after the city was handed back to Beijing in 1997.

What did UK get for Hong Kong?

The Qing dynasty ceded Hong Kong to the British Empire in 1842 through the treaty of Nanjing, ending the First Opium War. Hong Kong then became a British crown colony. Britain also won the Second Opium War, forcing the Qing Empire to cede Kowloon in 1860, while leasing the New Territories for 99 years from 1898.

Why did Britain hand back Hong Kong?

What led to the handover? Britain first took over Hong Kong island in 1842, after defeating China in the First Opium War. In 1898, to enforce its control of the area, the UK leased additional land, known as the New Territories, promising to return them to China in 99 years.

Will the UK offer Hong Kong residents citizenship if China imposes laws?

Britain will change its immigration rules and offer millions of people in Hong Kong “a route to citizenship” if China imposes new security laws, Boris Johnson has said. Writing in the Times, Mr Johnson said the UK would “have no choice” but to uphold its ties with the territory.

What did the British do to get Hong Kong back?

Britain agrees to return Hong Kong to China. In the Hall of the People in Beijing, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and Chinese Premier Zhao Ziyang sign an agreement committing Britain to return Hong Kong to China in 1997 in return for terms guaranteeing a 50-year extension of its capitalist system.

How did China gain control of Hong Kong from the UK?

On December 19, 1984, after years of negotiations, British and Chinese leaders signed a formal pact approving the 1997 turnover of the colony in exchange for the formulation of a “one country, two systems” policy by China’s communist government.

Can Hong Kong passport holders travel to UK without visa?

In the Times on Wednesday, the prime minister confirmed that if China passes the law, people in Hong Kong who hold British National (Overseas) (BNO) passports will be allowed to come to the UK for 12 months without a visa. Currently they are allowed to come for six months.