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  • Raviteja asked: Why the British handed over Hong Kong to China in 1997? What were the terms and conditions?

    R. N. Das replies: Hong Kong was acquired by Britain in three stages after defeating China in the Opium War. The first was Hong Kong Island, which was ceded to the Great Britain in perpetuity by the Treaty of Nanking on August 29, 1842. The Kowloon Peninsula was leased to Britain by the Convention of Peking in 1860, and the new territories on a 99 year lease under the Second Convention of Peking in 1898. China regarded these treaties as unequal, imposed on China under the duress of ‘gun-boat diplomacy’.

    As the 99-year treaty was to expire on July 1, 1997, both Britain and China started negotiations in early 1980s. The historic joint declaration on the future of Hong Kong was signed on December 19, 1984 between Premier Zhao Ziyang and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Under the joint declaration, an innovative “one country, two systems” was devised, under which Hong Kong reverted to Chinese sovereignty while retaining its political and economic system. The tenets of the joint declaration were later elucidated in the Basic Law, under which the present Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is governed.

    China Year Book 2011

    China Year Book 2011
    • Publisher: Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses
      2012

    The Year Book seeks to promote a better understanding of contemporary issues affecting China and their impact on India. This first edition of an annual series of year books is a compilation of incisive chapters focussing on China’s relations with the US, South Asia, ASEAN, Japan and East Asia, Central and West Asia, and the SCO. India-China relations—of considerable interest and significance to India—are discussed as are the Chinese economy, media, the People’s Liberation Army, and the political landscape inside the country.

    • ISBN 978-93-82169-04-8,
    • Price: ₹. 299/-
    • E-copy available
    2012

    The Beijing SCO Summit: Not a Routine One for China

    While expanding the SCO mandate and reviewing the membership criteria are some of the issues that make the Beijing summit a vital one, contentious global issues like Iran also lend the summit greater importance.

    May 29, 2012

    The China Bull in the Ring

    The Chinese decision to send warships to the Scarborough shoals was intended to send a message not only to the Philippines but also to the United States as well as other Asian countries in dispute with China over the South China Sea.

    May 28, 2012

    China’s Strategic Petroleum Reserves: A Reality Check

    While maintaining a reserve of 100 days worth of imported petroleum consumption at present consumption rates may be the stated policy of the Chinese government, an analysis of the existing capacities seems to suggest that China may be in a position to store much larger strategic oil reserves should it so desire.

    May 21, 2012

    The Chinese Navy, Its Regional Power and Global Reach

    The Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)’s recent accomplishments are impressive but have not gone beyond ‘pocket excellence’, as its overall structure and equipment are still out of date. However, the PLAN now has ships and powerful weapons that enable it to extend its combat range and engage its foes in a relatively large-scale maritime campaign beyond the Yellow Sea—its traditional battlefield. Depending on the nature of operations, it may already be able to carry out blue water missions around the first island chain in the West Pacific.

    May 2012

    Intellectual Property Rights in China

    The crux of the problem in China lies in the lack of efficient enforcement of IP laws because of the disconnect between the law as it exists in theory and as it is practiced.

    May 08, 2012

    The Complexity of Measuring National Power

    Arvind Subramanian’s recent book, Eclipse: Living in the Shadow of China’s Economic Dominance, has renewed interest in measuring the potential of emerging powers. Subramanian argues that projections of gross domestic product (GDP), trade and creditor status make China’s future dominance inevitable.

    April 2012

    Troubled Waters, Anniversary Parade, PLA’s Power Projection: Is China a Concern for the World?

    This paper seeks to discuss three important issues concerning China today. The first part analyses the controversial South China Sea dispute that has gained prominence over time, especially after incidents like Bowditch or Impeccable. China’s military build-up in the South China Sea does not necessarily indicate that Beijing will use force to occupy more islands; rather, it seems that China seeks to enhance its military presence to manipulate its bargaining game for future negotiations.

    April 2012

    Chen Guangcheng and US-China relations: An Epilogue

    Chen’s departure from the US embassy in Beijing points to the unwillingness and inability of the US to bring to bear any pressure on China on human rights issues.

    May 03, 2012

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