Published by: China News Digest, Tuesday, July 1, 1997

Main Source: The Advertiser, June 28, 1997

Abridged by: Jian-Min LI

1833: British East India loses its monopoly on the China trade. Private

traders rush to join the opium trade.

1839: Imperial Commissioner in Guangdong LIN Zexu burns seized opium.

British starts First Opium War (1839-42).

1842: China defeated by just 8000 British soldiers and sailors. Forced to

cede Hong Kong to Britain.

1856-1858: British starts Second Opium War.

1860: China forced to cede Kowloon Peninsula to Britain.

1898: Britain gets a 99-year lease on the New Territories from China for

nothing. Lease expires on June 30, 1997.

1940: Chinese fleeing Japanese invasion push up Hong Kong's population

to 1.5 million.

1941: Japan invades Hong Kong.

1945: Japan surrenders in Hong Kong. British grab back control.

1950: Population soars to 2.3 million.

1978: Deng Xiaoping launches economic reforms, unleashing huge growth which

feeds Hong Hong.

1979: China raises with Britain the fate of Hong Kong after the lease on

the New Territories expires in 1997.

1982: China declares it wants Hong Kong back.

1984: China and Britain sign a Joint Declaration agreeing to hand over

Hong Kong to china in 1997. Hong Kong to maintain its autonomy and

way of life for 50 years in all matters except defense and foreign

affairs.

1988: China publishes first draft of its Basic Law for Hong Kong.

1989: 6.4 crackdown.

1990: China announces the Basic Law, Hong Kong's post-1997 constitution.

1992: Chris Patten appointed 28th and last Governor of Hong Kong.

Decemeber 11, 1996: Tung Chee-hwa selected as first chief executive of Hong

Kong Special Administrative Region.

April 21, 1997: Frist Chinese troops arrive in Hong Kong in preparation

for June 30 handover.

June 30, 1997: Last day of British rule over Hong Kong. Governor Patten

and Prince Charles to deport on royal yacht Britannia.

July 1, 1997: China resumes sovereignty of Hong Kong after 156

years of colonial rule.