3 ms·
Hong Kong was leased over the course of two opium wars that were won by the British. Opium and tea were valuable Chinese commodities at the time. https://www.n
by jillesvangurp 4y ago
Hong Kong was leased over the course of two opium wars that were won by the British. Opium and tea were valuable Chinese commodities at the time.
https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/hong-kong-and-the-opium-wars/ https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/hong...
- hnfong 4y agoOnly the "New Territories" part was leased. The original treaties had Hong Kong Island and parts of modern day Kowloon ceded. The Brits were in a pickle when 1997 arrived because they couldn't realistically return only the leased parts without causing massive chaos, and China was threatening to take back the whole thing by force.