Actually only New Territories were later leased, the main part of Kowlung and Hong Kong Island were ceded to the British in perpetuity under the Convention of Peking.
The British ceded the main parts of Hong Kong back along with the return of New Territories under the understanding that there would be one country and two systems.
In the 70s and 80s the British government did everything Beijing asked with things like not making Hong Kongers full British citizens.
Those compromises were supposed to gain something for the people of Hong Kong after reunification with PRC.
It’s Xi that’s renegaded on that promise and refused to allow a free press or opposition politicians to stand in Hong Kong.
You’d be mad to think that this time “peaceful” unification would be anything more than “do what we say, say what we say and we won’t shoot you family”.
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Actually only New Territories were later leased, the main part of Kowlung and Hong Kong Island were ceded to the British in perpetuity under the Convention of Peking.
The British ceded the main parts of Hong Kong back along with the return of New Territories under the understanding that there would be one country and two systems.
In the 70s and 80s the British government did everything Beijing asked with things like not making Hong Kongers full British citizens.
Those compromises were supposed to gain something for the people of Hong Kong after reunification with PRC.
It’s Xi that’s renegaded on that promise and refused to allow a free press or opposition politicians to stand in Hong Kong.
You’d be mad to think that this time “peaceful” unification would be anything more than “do what we say, say what we say and we won’t shoot you family”.