Review of Hong Kong's history since the handover to China

David Cuthbertson at the Adam Smith Institute Blog has posted a brief editorial on this subject with the thesis that

"It's now almost 10 years since Hong Kong was 'handed back' to the Chinese. At the time, sckeptics were predicting that the uniquely Anglo-Asian success story would come crashing down and that the city would quickly loose its place as an international economic powerhouse. Of course, the skeptics have been proved wrong. In some cases, spectacularly wrong."

I had the opportunity to visit Hong Kong in late June of 1989; shortly after the Tiananmen Square problems. I found the city to be a wonderful mix of English and Chinese influences. The engineering and architectural expertise on display in the amazing office towers impressed me. I imagine that there will be a flood of press coverage of the transition and subsequent change or lack there of in Hong Kong this summer to mark the anniversary.

I found a story in the International Herald Tribune based on comments made by former British PM Margaret Thatcher, which quoted her as follows:

"Margaret Thatcher has said her fears that Hong Kong's economy could not prosper under Chinese Communism have proved to be largely groundless.

She said she has not been disappointed by Hong Kong's development since Britain handed over the former colony to China a decade ago.

"I think we must be realistic," Thatcher said in a rare interview broadcast Tuesday by British Broadcasting Corp. radio.

"Let's think over a moment how great our private worries were about what would happen in Hong Kong after the handover. Now those worries have largely proved groundless.""

A review of everything that has transpired in Hong Kong since 1997 seems it would be well worth the time of anyone interested in China's future.