Britain handed over Hong Kong to the People’s Republic in 1997, following the expiration of a 99-year-lease. The Sino-British Joint Declaration, an international treaty lodged at the United Nations, made the handover conditional on two explicit promises, valid for 50 years, or until 2047: first, that China would uphold the model of “one country, two systems,” respecting Hong Kong’s basic freedoms, rule of law and “high degree of autonomy”; and second, that Britain would monitor and safeguard that first promise.
Twenty-four years later, the dual promise lies in tatters. Communist Party quislings dominate the Hong Kong government, and Beijing is increasingly imposing direct rule.
