- Title: Timeline of Hong Kong's politics, on six month mark of anti-government protests
- Date: 9th December 2019
- Summary: Hong Kong residents headed to the polls in May 1998, where they voted in the city's first elections for its legislature under Chinese rule. Democrats celebrated a strong victory winning as many as 14 seats in the new 60-member Legislative Council, or LegCo. HONG KONG, CHINA (FILE - MAY 24, 1998) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** HONG KONG'S FIRST CHIEF EXECUTIVE, TUNG CHEE-HWA, DROPPING BALLOT INTO BOX HONG KONG, CHINA (FILE - MAY 25, 1998) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (REUTERS) LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ELECTION SIGN / INTERIOR OF CENTRAL COUNTING STATION THEN CHIEF EXECUTIVE TUNG CHEE-HWA EMPTYING BALLOT BOX ELECTORAL OFFICIALS COUNTING VOTES DEMOCRAT LAU CHIN-SHEK BEING CONGRATULATED BY SUPPORTERS AFTER WINNING SEAT SUPPORTERS CHEERING FOR DEMOCRATIC PARTY WIN Thousands of protesters took to the streets to denounce the city government's planned anti-subversion law on July 1, 2003. Brandishing banners, umbrellas and fans, many of the people dressed in black to mourn what they said was the demise of rights and freedom in one of the world's key financial centres. Critics of the law, commonly known in Hong Kong as 'Article 23' said it posed the biggest threat to basic rights in the former British colony. The bill was shortly shelved after the demonstration. HONG KONG, CHINA (FILE - JULY 1, 2003) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS MARCHING AGAINST PLANNED ANTI-SUBVERSION LAW EFFIGIES OF SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AMONGST PROTESTERS PROTESTER HOLDING SIGN READING (English): "TUNG RETIRE"
- Embargoed: 23rd December 2019 04:29
- Keywords: China Hong Kong Occupy Sino-British Joint Declaration Umbrella anniversary extradition handover one country protests two systems
- Location: HONG KONG / SHENZHEN, GUANGDONG PROVINCE / BEIJING, CHINA
- City: HONG KONG / SHENZHEN, GUANGDONG PROVINCE / BEIJING, CHINA
- Country: Hong Kong
- Topics: Government/Politics,Editors' Choice
- Reuters ID: LVA005B99TOW7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: December 19th marks the 35th anniversary of the signing of an agreement by China and Britain over Hong Kong, which laid the blueprint over how the city would be ruled after its return to China in 1997.
The Sino-British Joint Declaration, signed on December 19, 1984 by then British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and Chinese Premier Zhao Ziyang, laid out how Britain would end its century-and-a-half long rule over Hong Kong. It also guarantees the city's rights and freedoms under the "two systems" formula.
Under Hong Kong's mini-constitution, the Basic Law, Hong Kong was guaranteed its freedoms for "at least 50 years" after 1997.
This year, Hong Kong has been rocked by six months of sometimes violent unrest in the biggest challenge to Chinese stability since the bloody crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in and around Beijing's Tiananmen Square in 1989.
The protesters' demands include universal suffrage, an investigation into alleged police brutality and an end to Beijing's perceived efforts to undermine democratic freedoms promised when the former British colony was handed back to China in 1997.
China denies interfering in Hong Kong's affairs and says it is committed to the "one country, two systems" formula enshrined at the handover and guaranteeing the territory a high degree of autonomy. Beijing blames foreign countries including the United States for inciting unrest.
(Production: Phyllis Xu) - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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