Sovereignty And The Status Quo: The Historical Roots Of China's Hong Kong Policy (Westview Special Studies on China and East Asia)

The prospect of Hong Kong's return to the People's Republic of China in 1997 has inspired a great deal of speculation over the colony's future. Kevin Lane argues that the best way to predict China's future policies toward Hong Kong is to understand its past policies. Since 1912, different Chinese governments have maintained consistent approaches to the colony; offical demands for the return of sovereignty over Hong Kong have been belied by actual policies designed to preserve its status quo. The author believes that the benefits the colony provides to the mainland have influenced Chinese policymakers in the past, have had an important impact on the drafting of the Sino-British agreement, and will likely continue to influence policy after 1997.