Political Development of Hong Kong (1980-2004)

Author: Zhou Ping
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-03-01
Features: This book is a comprehensive monograph on the political development of Hong Kong in the past two decades. After the Opium War in 1840, Britain began to colonize Hong Kong, forming a colonial political structure known as the Hong Kong British Government. In the late 1970s, with the emergence of the issue of Hong Kong's return to China, the Hong Kong British Government initiated reforms in the territory's political system, which spurred rapid political development in Hong Kong. This process has continued to the present day, covering a wealth of content and nearly all aspects of political life. During this period, the political structure of Hong Kong underwent rapid transformation, achieving a shift from a traditional political system to a modern one, from a colonial regime to a special administrative region regime, and from an authoritarian political system to a democratic one. At the same time, Hong Kong's political landscape also underwent significant changes, forming a complex and unique political ecology. Such a political ecology is not only vastly different from the situation in Hong Kong before the 1980s and the political landscape before its return to China, but also significantly distinct from the political ecology of the newly established Special Administrative Region. Moreover, this political ecology is entirely different from that of mainland China and also distinct from that of Western countries. In such a complex political environment, the emergence and development of various political events, as well as the evolution of various political phenomena, exhibit new characteristics. This book is well-researched, in-depth, and presents balanced perspectives with thorough analysis. It helps readers understand and grasp the characteristics and trends of Hong Kong's political situation, serving as a reference for teaching and research on Hong Kong issues in universities and research institutions, as well as for relevant government departments in formulating policies.