Hong Kong is marking 25 years since the Handover from Britain to China, as Chinese leader Xi Jinping inaugurates John Lee as the city’s next chief executive.
LATEST NEWS & VIEWS
‘It’s impossible to organise a large-scale march now’: Hong Kong police step up surveillance to ‘tame’ activists
Activists say Hong Kong’s police have stepped up surveillance – pre-emptively discouraging rallies before applications are filed, paying home visits in the lead-up to days seen as politically sensitive and summoning organisers for warning chats.
HKFP Lens: Pomp, ceremony and patriotism for Handover anniversary, as police deploy across Hong Kong
A once-traditional day of protest, July 1’s Special Administrative Region Establishment Day saw city-wide special offers and discounts, after an official closed-door event marked 26 years since the Handover.
Hope, reflection and disappointment as people mark 26th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to Chinese rule
“In the past, we were able to express our demands and opinions, enjoy civil human rights…. now? Just enjoy the view and take some photos,” said one woman who spoke to HKFP on the 26th anniversary of the city’s Handover.
more coverage
COMMENTARY & ANALYSIS
Flagging enthusiasm for Hong Kong’s 25th Handover anniversary?
“Stability and prosperity are wonderful things but they come more easily to governments which enjoy the affection and respect of the governed. We are, I fear, a long way from there,” writes Tim Hamlett.
Hong Kong 25: Did it have to end like this, after all the early optimism?
“What changed was Xi Jinping’s assumption of power in 2012, followed by a massive crackdown on political opponents and all forms of dissent on the mainland. It was naïve to believe that this gathering storm would somehow die down at the SAR’s borders,” writes Steve Vines.
Hong Kong 25: One Country, Two Systems saved the city in times of crisis and remains a cornerstone of prosperity
“I firmly believe that there are no limits to the opportunities available under the Two Systems as long as we acknowledge and accept the reality of One Country,” writes Adrian Ho.
Hong Kong’s mystery guest sparks some bizarre behaviour as Handover anniversary nears
“Normal government has been disrupted, police leave cancelled and so on. If after this huge fuss we are visited only by a few bigwigs of whom most of us know nothing, there is going to be disappointment,” writes Tim Hamlett.
features and explainers
Hong Kong 25: Migrant domestic workers have long fought against reversals of their rights. They’re not stopping
Migrant domestic worker activists today are fighting against the same policies as they were before the Handover. Empowered by small victories and recent outpourings of public support, they vow to continue, even amid a crackdown on civil society.
Timeline: Hong Kong’s July 1 carnival of dissent – how 17 years of protest demands fell silent
A colourful, pro-democracy carnival of civil society, and a barometer for free expression, Hong Kong’s July 1 march is now relegated to history. HKFP examines the history of the city’s most consistent display of dissent.
two years of hong kong’s national security law
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