Hong Kong after transfer of sovereignty
Encyclopedia
The 2000s in Hong Kong began a new millennium under the People's Republic of China
(PRC). The attitude of the citizens can be summarised as pessimistic at the turn of the century due to the handover
, and gradually improving over time.
After the transfer of sovereignty
, Hong Kong faced a series of problems, both political and economical. The government carried out a series of reforms to adopt a more modern ideology
and democracy
, but faced many difficulties. Despite a transfer of power to China, the citizens participate in how their government is run, and the region maintains some degree of autonomy
. Media in Hong Kong
has not come under state control, though many citizens believe the media practices self-censorship
. The economy would also begin the period with a rise in unemployment rate from 2.2% in 1997 to 4.4% in 2000, and 7.9% in 2003. The economy had gradually recovered since 2004 and the overall unemployment rate fell to 3.6% in 2008, however the overall figure rose again to 5.4% in 2009 due to the global economic downturn in the last quarter of 2008.
and the Pro-democracy camp
.
. Many people feared that the proposal would erode freedom of press, religion, and association. The unpopularity of Chief Executive Tung Chee-Hwa and his administration, combined with the dissatisfaction about economy recession and the pandemic control, prompted an estimated 500,000 - 1,000,000 people to march on 1 July 2003, making it the largest since the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989
. The proposal fell after the several pro-government lawmakers withdrew their support to pass the bill. The resignation of Liberal Party
chief James Tien
from the Executive Council
on 6 July 2003 caused the eventual withdrawal of the legislation and the break-up of the "ruling alliance" of the Chief Executive. The security secretary, Regina Ip
, who was heavily criticised for her arrogant and condescending handling of the proposed law, was forced to resign.
marched through the city. The display was one of power and symbolism staged by 19 pro-Beijing groups. The march was part of a celebration demonstration that began in Victoria Park
.
, Jiang Zemin
. Tung remained in the office until 10 March 2005, 20 months after the march against Article 23. Hong Kong's Basic Law permitted Tung to serve another 3 years, many suspected Beijing
forced him to resign due to widespread public disapproval and his perceived lacklustre leadership. The 2005 election
filled the seat with Donald Tsang
who was the No. 2 ranking official, Chief Secretary, and career civil servant during British colonial rule.
found that 58.4% of journalists think press freedom in HK has deteriorated since the handover, mainly as a result of self-censorship
and government's tighter grip on information flow. Direct Internet censorship in Hong Kong
has not been a major issue. In 2009 HK was still ranked 48 by the international Press Freedom Index
. This is still far ahead of the People's Republic of China. Other self-censorship events include the 2009 Hong Kong Broadcasting Authority forum
where major station TVB
was labeled as CCTVB with censored news like the mainland's CCTV
. The local Citizens' Radio
was raided by the Office of the Telecommunications Authority (OFTA)
after being deemed illegal.
was one that affected the territory greatly. Joseph Yam
, the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority
who was the highest paid central banker in the world resigned in 2009. Traditionally, HK dollar
is pegged against the US dollar. Questions have come up on whether HK should peg to the Chinese yuan
since it is integrated to China economically. But the yuan is not fully convertible
, a peg to the yuan would cause disruptions.
(ICC), at 484 m (1,588 ft) high, was the tallest building in Hong Kong. The tallest building prior to the ICC was the Two International Finance Centre (2 IFC), at 415 m (1,362 ft) high, completed in 2003. Prior to that, the tallest building in Hong Kong was the Central Plaza since 1992, with a height of 374 m (1,227 ft).
Lots of new infrastructure
projects had been completed throughout the territory during the 2000s. Examples of those instrstructures includes: For Railway - the completion of MTR
Tseung Kwan O Line in 2002, KCR
West Rail in 2003, KCR Ma On Shan Rail in 2004, MTR Disneyland Resort Line in 2005, the extension of the Airport Express
to AsiaWorld-Expo
in 2005, KCR Lok Ma Chau Spur Line
in 2007, and MTR Kowloon Southern Link between East Rail Line and West Rail Line from Hung Hom Station to Nam Cheong Station
via East Tsim Sha Tsui Station and Austin Station in 2009. For major bridges and tunnels - the completion of Discovery Bay Tunnel
in 2000, Nam Wan Tunnel
in 2007, Deep Bay Bridge (Hong Kong - Shenzhen Western Corridor) in 2007, Eagle's Nest Tunnel
and Sha Tin Heights Tunnel
in 2008, and Stonecutters Bridge
in 2009.
Other major infrastructures includes the opening of the Hong Kong Disneyland
in 2005, which was the fifth Disneyland opened in the world and the second opened in Asia after the Tokyo Disneyland
, and the completion of the Ngong Ping 360
in 2006, which was a gondola lift
system that connects Tung Chung
New Town and Ngong Ping
Market.
citizens. Also in 2006, the birth rate
of 7.29 is ranked lowest among the list of countries surveyed by the CIA. Towards the end of the decade, Hong Kong's population had slowed further to a growth of 0.5% in 2009 with the city having a total population of 7,055,071 as of 2009. Other new immigration topics
include the Right of abode issue, Quality Migrant Admission Scheme
or the Capital Investment Entrant Scheme.
and Anita Mui
rocked the cantopop
industry. Their deaths in the early 2000s further sank the people's morale. The 2008 Edison Chen photo scandal
was also dubbed Asia's biggest scandal. Other cultural phenomenon include the rise of young female Liang mou
models.
was held for the SARS outbreak
. In early 2005, a major relief campaign concert was held for the victims of the neighbouring 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami
. This was followed by one of the largest assembly of celebrities in the territory in the Artistes 512 Fund Raising Campaign
for the 2008 Sichuan Earthquake
in China. In 2009 the Artistes 512 Fund Raising Campaign
was held for Typhoon Morakot in Taiwan.
and paralympics Equestrian event
s. The events were held at the Hong Kong Sports Institute
in Fo Tan
, Sha Tin
. The torch relay
also passed through both the Special administrative regions of HK and Macau. Various stars and celebrities were also present at the opening ceremonies
in Beijing
. At the end of 2009, HK also held its first ever East Asian Games
. It opened up with a performance on the water of Victoria Harbour
.
began a series of acid
throwing incidents from tall buildings. The government also stepped up effort against many incidents of throwing any random objects out of skyscraper windows and roofs. The housing department
began installing closed-circuit television
systems to monitor these throwing activities. Other incident involve the creation of a mass-suicide Facebook
group called "I want to practise suicide" (我要（練習）自殺). The group was shutdown before urging 190 members to kill themselves.
of the H5N1
virus. The crisis would lead to a series of panic that continue well into the 2000s. The volume consumption of poultry was significantly reduced for a period. Beginning in 1997, over 1 million birds were slaughtered, followed by 860,000 in 2002. Another batch of 300,000 and 200,000 chickens in 5 farms in Kam Tin
New Territories
were also included in the quarantine process.
China also had series of outbreaks, and the pandemic have left both regions strained in trade relationships. Controversies of the handling of the crisis has been criticised by radio programmes, TVs and newspapers. Both Hong Kong and China were the center of international attention during the early 2000s. Specifically, the Health, Welfare and Food Bureau were constantly bombarded with questions about the effectiveness in the decision to slaughter in large numbers. Wild dogs, rats and cats preying on bags of uncollected dead poultry also made the whole procedure a public relations disaster for the government. In 2009 a Swine flu pandemics
followed, but citizens were more prepared this time.
(SARS) was recorded in February, 2003. Hong Kong remained on the World Health Organization
's list of affected areas until 23 June 2003. The city was gripped by fear of contagion and panic throughout the epidemic. Children stayed home, while schools were halted. Economic activities were greatly disrupted. Restaurants were empty, and tourism ground to a halt. The epidemic infected more than 1,700 people and claimed 299 lives. As director general of the World Health Organization, Margaret Chan
faced some tough issues.
was held in Wan Chai
. With 148 nations participating at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
, it was one of the largest international event ever held in the area. A series of protests broke out in the designated protest zones and Hong Kong Police
were resorted to using tear gas and pepper spray
for crowd control. Numerous sources proclaimed the conference as the "Siege of Wan Chai" as the world class city became the hosting site of the event.
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
(PRC). The attitude of the citizens can be summarised as pessimistic at the turn of the century due to the handover
Transfer of the sovereignty of Hong Kong
The transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong from the United Kingdom to the People's Republic of China, referred to as ‘the Return’ or ‘the Reunification’ by the Chinese and ‘the Handover’ by others, took place on 1 July 1997...
, and gradually improving over time.
Background
Transfer of the sovereignty of Hong Kong
The transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong from the United Kingdom to the People's Republic of China, referred to as ‘the Return’ or ‘the Reunification’ by the Chinese and ‘the Handover’ by others, took place on 1 July 1997...
, Hong Kong faced a series of problems, both political and economical. The government carried out a series of reforms to adopt a more modern ideology
Ideology
An ideology is a set of ideas that constitutes one's goals, expectations, and actions. An ideology can be thought of as a comprehensive vision, as a way of looking at things , as in common sense and several philosophical tendencies , or a set of ideas proposed by the dominant class of a society to...
and democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
, but faced many difficulties. Despite a transfer of power to China, the citizens participate in how their government is run, and the region maintains some degree of autonomy
Autonomy
Autonomy is a concept found in moral, political and bioethical philosophy. Within these contexts, it is the capacity of a rational individual to make an informed, un-coerced decision...
. Media in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
has not come under state control, though many citizens believe the media practices self-censorship
Self-censorship
Self-censorship is the act of censoring or classifying one's own work , out of fear of, or deference to, the sensibilities of others, without overt pressure from any specific party or institution of authority...
. The economy would also begin the period with a rise in unemployment rate from 2.2% in 1997 to 4.4% in 2000, and 7.9% in 2003. The economy had gradually recovered since 2004 and the overall unemployment rate fell to 3.6% in 2008, however the overall figure rose again to 5.4% in 2009 due to the global economic downturn in the last quarter of 2008.
Politics
The two major political camps of the decade are the Pro-Beijing campPro-Beijing Camp
The Pro-Beijing Camp, pro-Establishment Camp, pan-Establishment Camp is a segment of Hong Kong society that supports the policies and views of the People's Republic of China before and after the handover of Hong Kong in 1997.It is also nicknamed the royalists or loyalists.The term can be used to...
and the Pro-democracy camp
Pro-democracy camp
Pro-democracy camp, pan-democracy camp or pan-democrats refer to the politicians and social activists in Hong Kong who support increased democracy and may work together in areas of common interest or by not fielding candidates against one another in elections.Democratic activists are usually...
.
Article 23
In 2003, the government proposed an anti-subversion law titled Article 23 of the Hong Kong Basic LawHong Kong Basic Law Article 23
Hong Kong Basic Law Article 23 is the basis of a security law proposed by the Government of Hong Kong. It states:On 24 September 2002 the government released its proposals for the anti-subversion law. It is the cause of considerable controversy and division in Hong Kong, which operates as a...
. Many people feared that the proposal would erode freedom of press, religion, and association. The unpopularity of Chief Executive Tung Chee-Hwa and his administration, combined with the dissatisfaction about economy recession and the pandemic control, prompted an estimated 500,000 - 1,000,000 people to march on 1 July 2003, making it the largest since the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989
Tiananmen Square protests of 1989
The Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, also known as the June Fourth Incident in Chinese , were a series of demonstrations in and near Tiananmen Square in Beijing in the People's Republic of China beginning on 15 April 1989...
. The proposal fell after the several pro-government lawmakers withdrew their support to pass the bill. The resignation of Liberal Party
Liberal Party (Hong Kong)
Liberal Party is a business-friendly liberal conservative political party in Hong Kong.-Party beliefs:The party is known for its conservative and business-friendly policies. Despite being a political party friendly with Beijing, it fits in the centre-right political spectrum...
chief James Tien
James Tien
James Tien Pei-chun GBS OBE JP is the former Chairman of the Liberal Party , a pro-business and pro-Beijing political party in Hong Kong, and former member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong . He was also a member of the District Council of Hong Kong in the Central and Western district...
from the Executive Council
Executive Council of Hong Kong
The Executive Council of Hong Kong is a core policy-making organ in the executive branch of the government of Hong Kong.. The Chief Executive of Hong Kong serves as its President.The Executive Council normally meets once a week...
on 6 July 2003 caused the eventual withdrawal of the legislation and the break-up of the "ruling alliance" of the Chief Executive. The security secretary, Regina Ip
Regina Ip
Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, GBS JP is a member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong , as well as the co-founder and current chairwoman of the New People's Party and Savantas Policy Institute....
, who was heavily criticised for her arrogant and condescending handling of the proposed law, was forced to resign.
Other marches
For the first time in Hong Kong's history, on 1 July 2006, the People's Liberation ArmyPeople's Liberation Army
The People's Liberation Army is the unified military organization of all land, sea, strategic missile and air forces of the People's Republic of China. The PLA was established on August 1, 1927 — celebrated annually as "PLA Day" — as the military arm of the Communist Party of China...
marched through the city. The display was one of power and symbolism staged by 19 pro-Beijing groups. The march was part of a celebration demonstration that began in Victoria Park
Victoria Park, Hong Kong
Victoria Park is a public park in Hong Kong, named after Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. It is located in Causeway Bay, on the north of Hong Kong Island, between Causeway Bay and Tin Hau MTR stations...
.
Chief Executive
Many calls were made for the resignation of Tung Chee-hwa, a leader who was blessed by the Communist Party of ChinaCommunist Party of China
The Communist Party of China , also known as the Chinese Communist Party , is the founding and ruling political party of the People's Republic of China...
, Jiang Zemin
Jiang Zemin
Jiang Zemin is a former Chinese politician, who served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of China from 1989 to 2002, as President of the People's Republic of China from 1993 to 2003, and as Chairman of the Central Military Commission from 1989 to 2005...
. Tung remained in the office until 10 March 2005, 20 months after the march against Article 23. Hong Kong's Basic Law permitted Tung to serve another 3 years, many suspected Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
forced him to resign due to widespread public disapproval and his perceived lacklustre leadership. The 2005 election
Hong Kong Chief Executive election, 2005
The Hong Kong Chief Executive election of 2005 was held to fill the vacancy of the territory's top office. Tung Chee Hwa submitted a resignation document to the Chinese government, and it was officially approved on 12 March. On 24 June, Donald Tsang was sworn in as the new Chief Executive on 16 June...
filled the seat with Donald Tsang
Donald Tsang
Sir Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, GBM, KBE is the current Chief Executive and President of the Executive Council of the Government of Hong Kong....
who was the No. 2 ranking official, Chief Secretary, and career civil servant during British colonial rule.
Media control in Hong Kong
A survey conducted by the Hong Kong Journalists AssociationHong Kong Journalists Association
The Hong Kong Journalists Association was established in 1968 for practising journalists in Hong Kong "to enhance press freedom and the integrity of news coverage"...
found that 58.4% of journalists think press freedom in HK has deteriorated since the handover, mainly as a result of self-censorship
Self-censorship
Self-censorship is the act of censoring or classifying one's own work , out of fear of, or deference to, the sensibilities of others, without overt pressure from any specific party or institution of authority...
and government's tighter grip on information flow. Direct Internet censorship in Hong Kong
Internet censorship in Hong Kong
Internet censorship in Hong Kong refers to the law that criminalizes the distribution of certain materials, particularly child pornography, obscene images and pirated materials. Contrary to the Mainland China, freedom of expression is well protected by the Hong Kong Bill of Rights. No websites,...
has not been a major issue. In 2009 HK was still ranked 48 by the international Press Freedom Index
Press Freedom Index
The Press Freedom Index is an annual ranking of countries compiled and published by Reporters Without Borders based upon the organization's assessment of their press freedom records. Small countries, such as Andorra, are excluded from this report...
. This is still far ahead of the People's Republic of China. Other self-censorship events include the 2009 Hong Kong Broadcasting Authority forum
2009 Hong Kong Broadcasting Authority forum
2009 Hong Kong Broadcasting Authority forum was a public forum held on the night of July 14, 2009 by the Hong Kong Broadcasting Authority. The forum gave the citizens a chance to provide feedback and comments about the two free Hong Kong TV station TVB and ATV. A large number of questions and...
where major station TVB
Television Broadcasts Limited
Television Broadcasts Limited, commonly known as TVB, is the second over-the-air commercial television station in Hong Kong. It commenced broadcasting on 19 November 1967...
was labeled as CCTVB with censored news like the mainland's CCTV
China Central Television
China Central Television or Chinese Central Television, commonly abbreviated as CCTV, is the major state television broadcaster in mainland China. CCTV has a network of 19 channels broadcasting different programmes and is accessible to more than one billion viewers...
. The local Citizens' Radio
Citizens' Radio
Citizens' Radio is a radio station in Hong Kong established by pro-democracy camp figure Tsang Kin Shing . The station is run as a non-profit organization. It started trial broadcasting on 3 October 2005 on 102.8 MHz FM. The regular broadcasting hours are 7:00 pm–8:00 pm from Monday...
was raided by the Office of the Telecommunications Authority (OFTA)
Office of the Telecommunications Authority
Office of the Telecommunications Authority or OFTA is the executive arm of the Telecommunications Authority in Hong Kong. It is the body responsible for telecommunications regulation , antitrust enforcement and allocation of the radio frequency portion of the electromagnetic spectrum Office of...
after being deemed illegal.
Finance
The 1997 Asian Financial Crisis caused a deflationary period that spanned 6 years into July 2004. A few years later, the global Financial crisis of 2007–2010 rocked the financial well-being of the SAR's financial sector. The Lehman mini-bond crisisBankruptcy of Lehman Brothers
Lehman Brothers filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on September 15, 2008. The bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers remains the largest bankruptcy filing in U.S...
was one that affected the territory greatly. Joseph Yam
Joseph Yam
The Honourable Joseph Yam Chi-kwong, GBM, GBS, CBE, JP is a Hong Kong statistician, economist and civil servant. Yam was the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority from April 1993 to 1 October 2009.-Biography:...
, the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority
Hong Kong Monetary Authority
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority or HKMA is Hong Kong's central banking institution . It is a government authority founded on 1 April 1993 via the consolidation of "Office of the Exchange Fund" and the "Office of the Commissioner of Banking"...
who was the highest paid central banker in the world resigned in 2009. Traditionally, HK dollar
Hong Kong dollar
The Hong Kong dollar is the currency of the jurisdiction. It is the eighth most traded currency in the world. In English, it is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or alternatively HK$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
is pegged against the US dollar. Questions have come up on whether HK should peg to the Chinese yuan
Chinese yuan
The yuan is the base unit of a number of modern Chinese currencies. The yuan is the primary unit of account of the Renminbi.A yuán is also known colloquially as a kuài . One yuán is divided into 10 jiǎo or colloquially máo...
since it is integrated to China economically. But the yuan is not fully convertible
Convertibility
Convertibility is the quality that allows money or other financial instruments to be converted into other liquid stores of value. Convertibility is an important factor in international trade, where instruments valued in different currencies must be exchanged....
, a peg to the yuan would cause disruptions.
Building and Infrastructure
At the end of the 2000s, the International Commerce CentreInternational Commerce Centre
The International Commerce Centre is a 108 floor, skyscraper completed in 2010 in West Kowloon, Hong Kong. It is a part of the Union Square project built on top of Kowloon Station. The development is owned and jointly developed by MTR Corporation Limited and Sun Hung Kai Properties, Hong...
(ICC), at 484 m (1,588 ft) high, was the tallest building in Hong Kong. The tallest building prior to the ICC was the Two International Finance Centre (2 IFC), at 415 m (1,362 ft) high, completed in 2003. Prior to that, the tallest building in Hong Kong was the Central Plaza since 1992, with a height of 374 m (1,227 ft).
Lots of new infrastructure
Infrastructure
Infrastructure is basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, or the services and facilities necessary for an economy to function...
projects had been completed throughout the territory during the 2000s. Examples of those instrstructures includes: For Railway - the completion of MTR
MTR
Mass Transit Railway is the rapid transit railway system in Hong Kong. Originally opened in 1979, the system now includes 211.6 km of rail with 155 stations, including 86 railway stations and 69 light rail stops...
Tseung Kwan O Line in 2002, KCR
KCR
KCR may refer to:* Karachi Circular Railway, the proposed metro rail system of Karachi, Pakistan* Kowloon-Canton Railway, a railway network in Hong Kong, now part of MTR system...
West Rail in 2003, KCR Ma On Shan Rail in 2004, MTR Disneyland Resort Line in 2005, the extension of the Airport Express
Airport Express
Airport Express can refer to the following:*AirPort Express, a wireless product by Apple Inc.*Several airport rail links are named Airport Express:**Airport Express , the airport transit service in Beijing, China...
to AsiaWorld-Expo
AsiaWorld-Expo
The AsiaWorld-Expo is one of the two major convention and exhibition facilities in Hong Kong along with Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. It was opened on 21 December 2005 by Donald Tsang, Chief Executive of Hong Kong, and it is operated by AsiaWorld-Expo Management Limited...
in 2005, KCR Lok Ma Chau Spur Line
Lok Ma Chau Spur line
The Lok Ma Chau Spur Line is the second railway link between Hong Kong and Mainland China, relieving passenger congestion at Lo Wu Station. The alignment branches off the existing MTR East Rail Line north of Sheung Shui Station and then runs to the Lok Ma Chau Station where customs and...
in 2007, and MTR Kowloon Southern Link between East Rail Line and West Rail Line from Hung Hom Station to Nam Cheong Station
Nam Cheong Station
Nam Cheong is a Hong Kong MTR station located at the ground level beneath West Kowloon Highway, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon and opposite to Fu Cheong Estate. It is served by the Tung Chung Line and West Rail Line, providing cross-platform interchanges between Platform 1 and Platform 4 Nam...
via East Tsim Sha Tsui Station and Austin Station in 2009. For major bridges and tunnels - the completion of Discovery Bay Tunnel
Discovery Bay Tunnel
The Discovery Bay Tunnel is a toll tunnel that links Discovery Bay Road at Yi Pak Au to Cheung Tung Road at Siu Ho Wan beside the North Lantau Highway...
in 2000, Nam Wan Tunnel
Nam Wan Tunnel
Nam Wan Tunnel is a tunnel in Hong Kong which has been completed and is scheduled for opening to traffic on 20 December 2009, along with the West Tsing Yi Viaduct, East Tsing Yi Viaduct and Stonecutters Bridge...
in 2007, Deep Bay Bridge (Hong Kong - Shenzhen Western Corridor) in 2007, Eagle's Nest Tunnel
Eagle's Nest Tunnel
Eagle's Nest Tunnel is the newest tunnel in Hong Kong. Officially opened on 21 March 2008, it connects Cheung Sha Wan and Sha Tin Valley through Eagle's Nest in Hong Kong in anticipation of future traffic demands generated by development in the northeast New Territories...
and Sha Tin Heights Tunnel
Sha Tin Heights Tunnel
Sha Tin Heights Tunnel is the newest tunnel in Hong Kong. It is part of Route 8. The tunnel spanned from a toll plaza in Sha Tin Valley through Sha Tin Heights to Tai Wai. The toll plaza is also connected to Eagle's Nest Tunnel, a tunnel to Cheung Sha Wan and Lai Chi Kok. The Tai Wai entrance...
in 2008, and Stonecutters Bridge
Stonecutters Bridge
Stonecutters Bridge is a high level cable-stayed bridge which spans the Rambler Channel in Hong Kong, connecting Nam Wan Kok, Tsing Yi Island and Stonecutters Island...
in 2009.
Other major infrastructures includes the opening of the Hong Kong Disneyland
Hong Kong Disneyland
Hong Kong Disneyland is located on reclaimed land in Penny's Bay, Lantau Island. It is the first theme park located inside the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort and is owned and managed by the Hong Kong International Theme Parks. The park opened to visitors on 12 September 2005...
in 2005, which was the fifth Disneyland opened in the world and the second opened in Asia after the Tokyo Disneyland
Tokyo Disneyland
is a 115 acre theme park at the Tokyo Disney Resort located in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan, near Tokyo. Its main gate is directly adjacent to both Maihama Station and Tokyo Disneyland Station. It was the first Disney park to be built outside of the United States and opened on April 15, 1983...
, and the completion of the Ngong Ping 360
Ngong Ping 360
The Ngong Ping 360 is a tourism project on Lantau Island in Hong Kong. The project was previously known as Tung Chung Cable Car Project before acquiring the Ngong Ping 360 brand in April 2005...
in 2006, which was a gondola lift
Gondola lift
A gondola lift is a type of aerial lift, normally called a cable car, which is supported and propelled by cables from above. It consists of a loop of steel cable that is strung between two stations, sometimes over intermediate supporting towers. The cable is driven by a bullwheel in a terminal,...
system that connects Tung Chung
Tung Chung
Tung Chung, meaning 'eastern stream', is an area situated on the north-western coast of Lantau Island in Hong Kong. Tung Chung, currently one of the latest generation of new towns, was formerly a rural village around Tung Chung Wan, and along the delta and lower courses of Tung Chung River and Ma...
New Town and Ngong Ping
Ngong Ping
Ngong Ping is a highland in the western part of Lantau Island, Hong Kong. It hosts Po Lin Monastery and Tian Tan Buddha amidst the hills which is about 34 m tall. There are many hills nearby which are also an attraction to tourists. It is now the terminus of the cable car ride Ngong Ping Cable...
Market.
Population
In 2000, the population of Hong Kong was 6,900,000. The population in the summer of 2006 was 6,994,500, though the majority of population increase is mostly contributed via immigration from mainlandMainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...
citizens. Also in 2006, the birth rate
Birth rate
Crude birth rate is the nativity or childbirths per 1,000 people per year . Another word used interchangeably with "birth rate" is "natality". When the crude birth rate is subtracted from the crude death rate, it reveals the rate of natural increase...
of 7.29 is ranked lowest among the list of countries surveyed by the CIA. Towards the end of the decade, Hong Kong's population had slowed further to a growth of 0.5% in 2009 with the city having a total population of 7,055,071 as of 2009. Other new immigration topics
Immigration to Hong Kong
Highly-skilled applicants or wealthy investors can apply for residency in Hong Kong. Point tests for skill applicants and economic contribution by investors were recently introduced by the Immigration Department of Hong Kong.-Capital investment:...
include the Right of abode issue, Quality Migrant Admission Scheme
Quality Migrant Admission Scheme
The Quality Migrant Admission Scheme is a points-based immigration system in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China...
or the Capital Investment Entrant Scheme.
Entertainment
The passing of idol legends like Leslie CheungLeslie Cheung
Leslie Cheung Kwok-Wing , nicknamed elder brother , was a film actor and musician from Hong Kong. Cheung was considered as "one of the founding fathers of Cantopop", and "combining a hugely successful film and music career".In 2000, Cheung was named Asian Biggest Superstar by China Central...
and Anita Mui
Anita Mui
Anita Mui Yim-fong was a popular Hong Kong singer and actress. During her prime years she made major contributions to the cantopop music scene, while receiving numerous awards and honours. She remained an idol throughout most of her career, and was generally regarded as a cantopop diva...
rocked the cantopop
Cantopop
Cantopop is a colloquialism for "Cantonese popular music". It is sometimes referred to as HK-pop, short for "Hong Kong popular music". It is categorized as a subgenre of Chinese popular music within C-pop...
industry. Their deaths in the early 2000s further sank the people's morale. The 2008 Edison Chen photo scandal
Edison Chen photo scandal
The Edison Chen photo scandal involved the illegal distribution over the Internet of intimate and private photographs of Hong Kong actor Edison Chen with various women, including actresses Gillian Chung, Bobo Chan, Rachel Ngan and Cecilia Cheung. The scandal shook the Hong Kong entertainment...
was also dubbed Asia's biggest scandal. Other cultural phenomenon include the rise of young female Liang mou
Liang mou
Lang mo or Pseudo-models is a Cantonese slang term used to describe a type of models in Hong Kong who rose to prominence since the late 2000s, and was the most popular new term in Hong Kong in 2009...
models.
Charities
The HK government and entertainment industry pursued a number of major charities in the decade. The 1:99 Concert1:99 Concert
The 1:99 Concert was a fund raiser concert for victims of the 2003 SARS outbreak at the Hong Kong Stadium. The name 1:99 came from the bleach to water ratio that health officials recommended for anti-SARS cleaning solution. The concert was organized by Ellen Cheng of the Hong Kong Performing...
was held for the SARS outbreak
Severe acute respiratory syndrome
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome is a respiratory disease in humans which is caused by the SARS coronavirus . Between November 2002 and July 2003 an outbreak of SARS in Hong Kong nearly became a pandemic, with 8,422 cases and 916 deaths worldwide according to the WHO...
. In early 2005, a major relief campaign concert was held for the victims of the neighbouring 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea megathrust earthquake that occurred at 00:58:53 UTC on Sunday, December 26, 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The quake itself is known by the scientific community as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake...
. This was followed by one of the largest assembly of celebrities in the territory in the Artistes 512 Fund Raising Campaign
Artistes 512 Fund Raising Campaign
Artistes 512 Fund Raising Campaign was a major fund raising campaign held in Hong Kong for the victims of the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. The concert was held on June 1, 2008, and began at 2:28pm, the time the earthquake had struck Sichuan on May 12...
for the 2008 Sichuan Earthquake
2008 Sichuan earthquake
The 2008 Sichuan earthquake or the Great Sichuan Earthquake was a deadly earthquake that measured at 8.0 Msand 7.9 Mw occurred at 14:28:01 CST...
in China. In 2009 the Artistes 512 Fund Raising Campaign
Artistes 512 Fund Raising Campaign
Artistes 512 Fund Raising Campaign was a major fund raising campaign held in Hong Kong for the victims of the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. The concert was held on June 1, 2008, and began at 2:28pm, the time the earthquake had struck Sichuan on May 12...
was held for Typhoon Morakot in Taiwan.
Sports
Hong Kong was the site for the 2008 OlympicsEquestrian at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Equestrian competitions at the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics were held from August 9 to August 21 at the Hong Kong Sports Institute and Sheung Yue River in Hong Kong. It was the second time the equestrian events were hosted by a member of the IOC other than the member hosting the main games...
and paralympics Equestrian event
Equestrian at the 2008 Summer Paralympics
Equestrian at the 2008 Summer Paralympics consisted of eleven dressage events. The competitions were held in the Hong Kong Olympic Equestrian Centre from 7 September to 11 September.-Classfication:...
s. The events were held at the Hong Kong Sports Institute
Hong Kong Sports Institute
The Hong Kong Sports Institute is a sports institute in the Fo Tan, Sha Tin district of Hong Kong. It was the site of equestrian events of the 2008 Summer Olympics.-References:**...
in Fo Tan
Fo Tan
Fo Tan is a suburb of Sha Tin District, Hong Kong. It was developed as a light industrial area, but this activity has declined markedly in recent years. There are residential areas to the east, alongside the MTR line, and in the foothills to the west....
, Sha Tin
Sha Tin
Sha Tin, also spelled Shatin, is an area around the Shing Mun River in the New Territories of Hong Kong. Administratively, it is part of the Sha Tin District.-Geography:...
. The torch relay
2008 Summer Olympics torch relay
The 2008 Summer Olympics torch relay was run from March 24 until August 8, 2008, prior to the 2008 Summer Olympics, with the theme of "one world, one dream". Plans for the relay were announced on April 26, 2007, in Beijing, China...
also passed through both the Special administrative regions of HK and Macau. Various stars and celebrities were also present at the opening ceremonies
2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony
The 2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony was held at the Beijing National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest. It began at 8:00 pm China Standard Time on August 8, 2008, as 8 is considered to be a lucky number. The number 8 is associated with prosperity and confidence in Chinese culture...
in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
. At the end of 2009, HK also held its first ever East Asian Games
2009 East Asian Games
The 2009 East Asian Games, officially known as the V East Asian Games, was an international multi-sport event that took place in Hong Kong, between 5 December and 13 December 2009. A total of 2,377 athletes from 9 East Asian national competed in 262 events in 22 sports...
. It opened up with a performance on the water of Victoria Harbour
Victoria Harbour
Victoria Harbour is a natural landform harbour situated between Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula in Hong Kong. The harbour's deep, sheltered waters and strategic location on the South China Sea were instrumental in Hong Kong's establishment as a British colony and its subsequent...
.
Society
Beginning in 2008, the Mong Kok acid attacksMong Kok acid attacks
The Mong Kok acid attacks were incidents in 2008, 2009, and 2010 where plastic bottles filled with corrosive liquid were thrown onto shoppers on Sai Yeung Choi Street South, Hong Kong, a pedestrian street and popular shopping area...
began a series of acid
Acid
An acid is a substance which reacts with a base. Commonly, acids can be identified as tasting sour, reacting with metals such as calcium, and bases like sodium carbonate. Aqueous acids have a pH of less than 7, where an acid of lower pH is typically stronger, and turn blue litmus paper red...
throwing incidents from tall buildings. The government also stepped up effort against many incidents of throwing any random objects out of skyscraper windows and roofs. The housing department
Hong Kong Housing Authority
The Hong Kong Housing Authority is the main provider of public housing in Hong Kong. It was established in 1973 under the Housing Ordinance and is an agency of the Government of Hong Kong...
began installing closed-circuit television
Closed-circuit television
Closed-circuit television is the use of video cameras to transmit a signal to a specific place, on a limited set of monitors....
systems to monitor these throwing activities. Other incident involve the creation of a mass-suicide Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
group called "I want to practise suicide" (我要（練習）自殺). The group was shutdown before urging 190 members to kill themselves.
Flu pandemics
Health officials made the Bird Flu crisis a top priority beginning in 1997. To control the spread of the virus, millions of chickens were slaughtered in an extreme measure to prevent the global spreadGlobal spread of H5N1
The global spread of highly pathogenic H5N1 influenza in birds is considered a significant pandemic threat.While other H5N1 influenza strains are known, they are significantly different from a current, highly pathogenic H5N1 strain on a genetic level, making the global spread of this new strain...
of the H5N1
H5N1
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1, also known as "bird flu", A or simply H5N1, is a subtype of the influenza A virus which can cause illness in humans and many other animal species...
virus. The crisis would lead to a series of panic that continue well into the 2000s. The volume consumption of poultry was significantly reduced for a period. Beginning in 1997, over 1 million birds were slaughtered, followed by 860,000 in 2002. Another batch of 300,000 and 200,000 chickens in 5 farms in Kam Tin
Kam Tin
Kam Tin , or Kam Tin Heung , is an area in the New Territories, Hong Kong. It is north of Tai Mo Shan and east of Yuen Long. It was formerly known as Sham Tin...
New Territories
New Territories
New Territories is one of the three main regions of Hong Kong, alongside Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula. It makes up 86.2% of Hong Kong's territory. Historically, it is the region described in The Convention for the Extension of Hong Kong Territory...
were also included in the quarantine process.
China also had series of outbreaks, and the pandemic have left both regions strained in trade relationships. Controversies of the handling of the crisis has been criticised by radio programmes, TVs and newspapers. Both Hong Kong and China were the center of international attention during the early 2000s. Specifically, the Health, Welfare and Food Bureau were constantly bombarded with questions about the effectiveness in the decision to slaughter in large numbers. Wild dogs, rats and cats preying on bags of uncollected dead poultry also made the whole procedure a public relations disaster for the government. In 2009 a Swine flu pandemics
2009 flu pandemic in Hong Kong
The 2009 flu pandemic in Hong Kong started with the city's first reported case of Influenza A virus subtype H1N1 infection, commonly called swine flu, on 1 May 2009, in a Mexican national who had travelled to Hong Kong via Shanghai. It was also the first reported case of in Asia...
followed, but citizens were more prepared this time.
SARS outbreak
The first suspected case of Severe Acute Respiratory SyndromeSevere acute respiratory syndrome
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome is a respiratory disease in humans which is caused by the SARS coronavirus . Between November 2002 and July 2003 an outbreak of SARS in Hong Kong nearly became a pandemic, with 8,422 cases and 916 deaths worldwide according to the WHO...
(SARS) was recorded in February, 2003. Hong Kong remained on the World Health Organization
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
's list of affected areas until 23 June 2003. The city was gripped by fear of contagion and panic throughout the epidemic. Children stayed home, while schools were halted. Economic activities were greatly disrupted. Restaurants were empty, and tourism ground to a halt. The epidemic infected more than 1,700 people and claimed 299 lives. As director general of the World Health Organization, Margaret Chan
Margaret Chan
Margaret Chan Fung Fu-chun, OBE JP is the Director-General of the World Health Organization . Chan was elected by the Executive Board of the WHO on 8 November 2006, and was endorsed in a special meeting of the World Health Assembly on the following day...
faced some tough issues.
International
WTO
The World Trade Organization Conference of 2005WTO Ministerial Conference of 2005
The Sixth Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization, also known as the WTO Hong Kong Ministerial Conference and abbreviated as MC6, was held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai, Hong Kong from 13 to 18 December 2005...
was held in Wan Chai
Wan Chai
Wan Chai is a metropolitan area situated at the western part of the Wan Chai District on the northern shore of Hong Kong Island, in Hong Kong. Its other boundaries are Canal Road to the east, Arsenal Street to the west and Bowen Road to the south. The area north of Gloucester Road is often called...
. With 148 nations participating at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre is one of the two major convention and exhibition venues in Hong Kong, along with AsiaWorld-Expo. It is located in Wan Chai North, Hong Kong Island. Built along the Victoria Harbour, it is linked by covered walkways to nearby hotels and commercial...
, it was one of the largest international event ever held in the area. A series of protests broke out in the designated protest zones and Hong Kong Police
Hong Kong Police Force
The Hong Kong Police Force is the largest disciplined service under the Security Bureau of Hong Kong. It is the world's second, and Asia's first, police agency to operate with a modern policing system. It was formed on 1 May 1844, with a strength of 32 officers...
were resorted to using tear gas and pepper spray
Pepper spray
Pepper spray, also known as OC spray , OC gas, and capsicum spray, is a lachrymatory agent that is used in riot control, crowd control and personal self-defense, including defense against dogs and bears...
for crowd control. Numerous sources proclaimed the conference as the "Siege of Wan Chai" as the world class city became the hosting site of the event.