Hong Kong & Island Nations

1884 Words8 Pages
There lies significance that small states of labor, resources, and wealth could have a substantially greater global economic importance and prestige, so is the case of Hong Kong. This analysis will attempt to discuss the engagements of Hong Kong in terms of their respective social history, political arrangements, and economic models. Once these issues have been considered, this analysis will analyze such issues that can be made from Hong Kong’s success to the potential future of the Marianas as a global economic player, just as the same or even better. Hong Kong is a territory of 426 square miles and consists of two large islands, many other small islands, the Kowloon peninsula, and the New Territories. Hong Kong is situated on the south coast of China adjacent to the Pearl River Delta. Hong Kong attracted British attention in the 1840s as the ideal secure base from which to conduct trade in desirable Chinese products—tea, silk, and porcelain. Traditionally, China maintained a very restrictive trade policy with foreign merchants and all trading activity was confined to an island in the Pearl River at the city of Canton. China would sell its products only for silver bullion through nominated Chinese merchants and would not buy foreign goods in exchange. Hong Kong Island was seized by British forces in 1841 as a base of military operations and was subsequently ceded in perpetuity by the Chinese Empire pursuant to the Treaty of Nanking signed on August 29, 1842, to mark the end of the First Opium War. Hong Kong’s population became composed of mainly of Chinese nationals who migrated to the colony as a result of the chronic political and economic instability during much of the colonial period. Waves of migrants sought greater economic and political stability in the British realm. The overthrow of the Qing Empire, civil warfare, and the Japanese invasion of China in
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