China

Decolonized

Hong Kong was established as a colony of the British Empire  after the Qing dynasty ceded Hong Kong island in 1841–1842 as a consequence of losing the First Opium War. The colony expanded to the the Kowloon Peninsula  in 1860 and was further extended when the United Kingdom obtained a 99-year lease of the New Territories in 1898. Hong Kong was occupied by Japan from 1941 to 1945. Hong Kong was transferred from the UK to China in 1997. Hong Kong maintains separate governing and economic systems from that of mainland under the principle of “one country, two systems” but recently there have been signs that this is changing as China asserts control. The painting is based on an uncredited photograph from the Hong Kong Free Press.

Millions of Hong Kong people were born and grown up in the Hong Kong rules by UK government; before it was returned to China. Mailbox, bank notes, stamps with Queen Elizabeth image or logo are no longer available in the public. Flo L.