Historical Origins of the Hong Kong Model of Democracy and Interactions with the China Factor

Abstract

This chapter argues that because the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the British government negotiated the future of Hong Kong from 1982 to 1984, Beijing had already become a critical factor in shaping Hong Kong’s democratization. The China factor has changed from an “external” factor in the early 1980s to an “internal” shaper that has influenced the democratic development of Hong Kong since July 1, 1997. The characteristics of Beijing’s participation in Hong Kong’s democratization are also delineated.