HONG KONG
GENERAL
- Area:
- 1,074 km2.
- Population:
- 5,902,000 (1992).
- Capital:
- Victoria.
- Ethnic composition:
- Han Chinese (98%).
- Major languages:
- English and Chinese (both official), Guangdong dialect.
- Major religions:
- Buddhism, Taoism, Christianity.
- History:
- Britain acquired Hong Kong Island from China in 1842
under the Treaty of Nanking, and it acquired the tip of
the Kowloon Peninsula (about 9.7 km2) from China in 1860
under the Convention of Peking. By the Second Convention
of Peking in 1898, Britain acquired the New Territories
and 235 adjacent islands under a 99-year lease. In
September 1982 Britain and China began negotiations on
the reassumption of Chinese sovereignty, and an agreement
was reached in September 1984. Under the Sino-British
Joint Declaration signed in December 1984 and ratified in
May 1985, Hong Kong is to revert to China on July 1,
1997. In April 1990 China's National People's
Congress promulgated the Basic Law, a
"mini-constitution" guaranteeing a degree of
democratic government in Hong Kong after reversion.
GOVERNMENT
- Type:
- Dependent territory.
- Head of state:
- Queen Elizabeth II.
- Legislature:
- The Legislative Council (Legco) consists of 60 members.
- Executive:
- Chris Patten has been serving as governor and president
of the Executive Council since July 9, 1992.
- Domestic politics:
- Seeking to secure its future, Hong Kong is engaged in
strengthening democratic institutions and improving
social systems in such areas as education, medical care,
and welfare. It is also installing more infrastructure,
notably a new airport and seaport. An exodus of emigrants
has been growing, however, and labor shortages are
becoming quite serious.
- Foreign policy:
- Britain is responsible for Hong Kong's foreign policy.
- Military:
- Britain stations such armed forces in Hong Kong as three
patrol boats, an infantry battalion, and a mixed army and
air force unit.
ECONOMY
- Major industries:
- Electronics, textiles, real estate, tourism, fisheries.
- GDP:
- $130.7 billion (1994).
- Per capita GDP:
- $21,800 (1994).
- Real growth rate:
- 5.5% (1994).
- Inflation:
- 8.1% (Dec. 1994).
- Unemployment:
- 2.3% (1994).
- Trade: Exports:
- $150.0 billion; imports: $160.4 billion (1994).
- Principal items traded:
- Exports: apparel, yarn and woven goods, toys, sporting
goods, communications and audio equipment; imports: yarn
and woven goods, electric equipment, apparel,
communications and audio equipment.
- Principal trading partners:
- Exports: China, United States, Germany, Japan, Britain,
Singapore; imports: China, Japan, Chinese Taipei, United
States, Singapore.
- Currency:
- Hong Kong dollar. HK$1=US$0.13 (US$1=HK$7.73) (1993
average).
- Economic conditions:
- In recent years Hong Kong has enjoyed a remarkable
economic performance thanks to brisk exports. Export
momentum tapered off in 1988, however, and the economy
slid into recession. The Tiananmen Square incident of
June 1989 cast a shadow over business, but foreign
investment in Hong Kong has continued to expand since
then, and economic relations with China have now
recovered. In 1992 an upturn in corporate investment
worked together with export sales to produce 5.3% growth.
The sustained expansion continued both in 1993 at a 5.5%
rate, underpinned by a strong performance by the Chinese
economy and stepped-up public investment, and in 1994,
when growth again came in at 5.5%.
ECONOMIC COOPERATION
- Japan's aid:
- Loans: $1.1 million; grants: $0.6 million; technical
cooperation: $46.5 million (cumulative ODA total from
1969 to 1992).
- Principal donors:
- Japan, Australia, France, Germany (1991).
BILATERAL RELATIONS
- Political:
- Japan believes that a prosperous and stable Hong Kong is
of vital importance not just to itself but also to Asia
and the international community. It regards the
Sino-British Joint Declaration of 1985 as the foundation
of Hong Kong's future prosperity and stability.
- Trade:
- Exports to Japan: $8,359 million, featuring apparel,
electric equipment, toys; imports from Japan: $25,005
million, featuring communications and audio equipment,
electric equipment, yarn and woven goods, apparel (1994).
- Investment:
- Cumulative Japanese direct investment in Hong Kong
through fiscal 1994 came to $13,400 million.
- Cultural:
- Japan stages kabuki plays and other performances in Hong
Kong and dispatches to it university teachers,
Japanese-language instructors, and others, and it has
donated educational materials and books to universities.
The Japanese government provides funding for exchange
students from Hong Kong and extends invitations to people
who excel in Japanese-language courses.
- Japanese residing in Hong Kong:
- 18,500 (Oct. 1994).
- Hong Kong British subjects residing in Japan:
- Not available.
- Visits by eminent persons:
- Japan to Hong Kong: Foreign Minister Sosuke Uno (1988),
Foreign Minister Taro Nakayama (1989), Finance Minister
Tsutomu Hata (1992), Health and Welfare Minister Tokuo
Yamashita (1992), former Prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu
(1992, 1994), Supreme Court Chief Justice Ryohachi Kusaba
(1992), former Foreign Minister Taro Nakayama (1993);
Hong Kong to Japan: Governor Sir David Wilson (1988), Trade and Industry Secretary Hamish Macleod (1988), Trade and Industry Secretary John Chan (1989, twice, 1990), Chief Secretary Sir David Ford (1990, 1991), Financial Secretary Sir Piers Jacobs (1990), Governor Sir David Wilson (1990), Economic Services Secretary Anson Chan (1991), Trade and Industry Secretary Chau Tak-hay (1992, 1993), Governor Chris Patten (1992, 1993), Financial Services and Economic Analysis Secretary Michael Cartland (1993), Financial Secretary Hamish Macleod (1993), Director General of Industry Denise Yue (1994), Chief Secretary Anson Chan (1995).
(September 1995)
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