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HONG KONG: BRITAIN HANDS OVER SOVEREIGNTY TO CHINA

(30 Jun 1997) Mandarin/Eng/Nat Britain has handed over sovereignty of Hong Kong to China, ending 156 years of colonial rule. The Prince of Wales led a delegation at a ceremony which saw the curtain come down on Britain's empire in the East at the stroke of midnight local time. The former colony will now be known as the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region with Beijing looking after its defence and foreign affairs. Britain bade farewell to one of the last remnants of its empire in a strangely appropriate setting for this capitalist colony: a spanking new convention centre in the heart of Hong Kong. Amongst the guests -- British politicians who had played a part in the 13 year build up to this midnight handover. Former British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, who as Prime Minister in 1984 signed an accord with Premier Zhao Ziyang to return Hong Kong to Chinese sovereignty. And former Foreign Secretary Geoffrey Howe -- who was chiefly responsible for negotiating the Joint Declaration with the Chinese. The ceremony lacked much of the pageant of earlier in the day. But where the earlier British ceremony had lacked nothing in pomp and ceremony, it had had one element missing: official Chinese guests. The incoming Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa had given his apologies, saying that the sunset ceremony at East Tamar clashed with the arrival of the Chinese President. But the coincidental arrival of the President at this time was widely seen as a political slight. China, in turn, has expressed its annoyance that no British dignitaries will be attending the investiture of the new unelected Hong Kong legislative body. But all the parties were present for the midnight handover ceremony. As the Royal Navy gave a bayonet salute, Prince Charles said a final farewell to Britain's most successful colony. SOUNDBITE: (English) I should like on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen and of the entire British people to express our thanks, admiration, affection and good wishes to all the people of Hong Kong who have been such staunch and special friends over so many generations. SUPER CAPTION: Prince Charles, Prince of Wales Then, in a simple switch of flags, Hong Kong was passed from the dwindling British Empire to the world's most populous nation. Eight seconds after midnight the Chinese flag and Hong Kong's new flag were picked up in the electronically-produced breeze. At that moment, the territory's 6.3 million people ceased to be British subjects and became citizens of a new entity called the Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong. SOUNDBITE: (Mandarin) The Ist of July 1997 will be a day worth remembering forever. After 100 years of changes, the return of Hong Kong symbolises that our Hong Kong compatriots will from now on become the genuine masters of this land. SUPER CAPTION: President Jiang Zemin It was a speech that made no reference to the British tenure of Hong Kong but which stressed again the idea of one country two systems that Hong Kong's residents are hoping will mean they are left to their own devices. Now known as the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, this unabashedly capitalist colony has been guaranteed a semi-autonomous system for the next fifty years. As Prince Charles shook hands with the Chinese President, there will be many in Hong Kong who will be hoping that they can bank on the word of Beijing. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...