Hi Bloggers!

This week we visited Hong Kong. This lively city had a lot to offer but maybe we should also think about politics this week. As Hong Kong has a rather special political system it was interesting to learn more about it.

Hong Kong is rather unique in comparison to the rest of China if we talk about politics. A long time before Hong Kong became a political part of China it belonged to the Brits. Once it was assigned to China it still could apply its own laws and rules of the Hong Kong constitution. Only matters of foreign affairs and defence were controlled by the Chinese government. This is still the situation today.

British period

Until the 80s and 90s Hong Kong was controlled by the Brits. The British Queen was head of state but actual administrative power was to be found with the governor. The Queen appointed the governor and it was his task to control Hong Kong. The first governor in Hong Kong was Sir Henry Pottinger. 28 other governors followed his example.

This British period is also the reason why a lot of streets or institutions have a British name. Many streets have the name of a former British governor but also the names of some hospitals, health centres and hiking pads sound British.

Chief Executive Period

After the British period governors were no longer the ones who controlled Hong Kong. The city started to elect its own Chief Executives.

As already said only foreign affairs and defence are controlled by the People’s Republic of China. All other matters are part of the political power of Hong Kong itself. The Chief Executive rules the city together with a multi-party system. Current Chief Executive is Donald Tsang. One of the differences between the city of Hong Kong and the rest of China is censorship. Freedom of speech is accepted in Hong Kong just as it was under British authority. The rest of China doesn’t know this freedom.


It’s not because this is the situation now this will be the case for the rest of the future. China could invade into Hong Kong and could end this independence. Off course they haven’t done this yet because it could be catastrophic for business in Hong Kong as well as in China.




Ilse xxx

http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hongkong
http://www.easyexpat.com/nl/hongkong/overzicht/politiek.htm

http://www.landenweb.net/hongkong/geschiedenis/