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I am unsure why beijing would be obligated to make any promises to UK as they are essentially just taking back their property after a lease ended?

by ptah 7y ago

Angostura 7y ago
To ensure a smooth transfer and a certain degree of self-determination for the people who lived there, were reasonsably content with the existing set-up and would have been most unhappy if the UK had simply washed its hands and disapeared.
fennecfoxen 7y ago
China made these promises in part to assure the residents of Hong Kong (and international observers) that their rights would be respected, and also to prevent economic collapse caused by businesses deeming the island an unsafe place to do business.
deleted 7y ago
[deleted]
NedIsakoff 7y ago
What most people call Hong Kong consists of three major areas: Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and New Territories. Hong Kong Island (where majority of people live) was given to UK with no lease limits. Kowloon and New Territories were leased to UK for 99 years in 1898. So, in theory UK only needed to return Kowloon and New Territories. Of course, this wasn’t practical. It’s like giving Manhattan to another country but keeping Queens and Brooklyn. So in 1994 UK agree to return all 3 (Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and New Territories) in 1997.
- larrysalibra 7y ago
  Kowloon south of Boundary street was also ceded in perpetuity to the UK in 1860. Kowloon north of boundary street was leased for 99 years in 1898. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boundary_Street https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boundary_Street
twic 7y ago
They weren't just taking back their property after a lease ended. The UK had leased the New Territories, but the Kowloon peninsula and Hong Kong island had been ceded. When the lease expired, the UK could have given back the New Territories and kept the rest, but it was agreed to hand over the whole lot. That agreement was part of a deal which also included "one country, two systems".
NeedMoreTea 7y ago
Well they did sign an internationally binding agreement over how Hong Kong would be treated after handover. They already made the promises, and lodged them with the UN. Now they are breaking those treaties.
y2kenny 7y ago
Because they signed the Sino-British Joint Declaration: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sino-British_Joint_Declaration https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sino-British_Joint_Declaration

I am unsure why beijing would be obligated to make any promises to UK as they are essentially just taking back their property after a lease ended?

by ptah 7y ago

I am unsure why beijing would be obligated to make any promises to UK as they are essentially just taking back their property after a lease ended?

Angostura 7y ago

To ensure a smooth transfer and a certain degree of self-determination for the people who lived there, were reasonsably content with the existing set-up and would have been most unhappy if the UK had simply washed its hands and disapeared.

fennecfoxen 7y ago

China made these promises in part to assure the residents of Hong Kong (and international observers) that their rights would be respected, and also to prevent economic collapse caused by businesses deeming the island an unsafe place to do business.

deleted 7y ago

[deleted]

NedIsakoff 7y ago

What most people call Hong Kong consists of three major areas: Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and New Territories. Hong Kong Island (where majority of people live) was given to UK with no lease limits. Kowloon and New Territories were leased to UK for 99 years in 1898. So, in theory UK only needed to return Kowloon and New Territories. Of course, this wasn’t practical. It’s like giving Manhattan to another country but keeping Queens and Brooklyn. So in 1994 UK agree to return all 3 (Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and New Territories) in 1997.

larrysalibra 7y ago
Kowloon south of Boundary street was also ceded in perpetuity to the UK in 1860. Kowloon north of boundary street was leased for 99 years in 1898. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boundary_Street https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boundary_Street

twic 7y ago

They weren't just taking back their property after a lease ended. The UK had leased the New Territories, but the Kowloon peninsula and Hong Kong island had been ceded. When the lease expired, the UK could have given back the New Territories and kept the rest, but it was agreed to hand over the whole lot. That agreement was part of a deal which also included "one country, two systems".

NeedMoreTea 7y ago

Well they did sign an internationally binding agreement over how Hong Kong would be treated after handover. They already made the promises, and lodged them with the UN. Now they are breaking those treaties.

y2kenny 7y ago

Because they signed the Sino-British Joint Declaration: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sino-British_Joint_Declaration https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sino-British_Joint_Declaration