Trending Bestseller

Hong Kong Diaries

No reviews yet Write a Review
Paperback / softback
560 Pages
4 June 2024
RRP: $32.99
$32.00
Ships in 2-5 business days

Delivery estimate

Hurry up! Current stock:
The diaries of the last British Governor, five weeks on the Sunday Times best-seller list

In June 1992 Chris Patten went to Hong Kong as the last British governor, to try to prepare it not - as other British colonies over the decades - for independence, but for handing back in 1997 to the Chinese, from whom most of its territory had been leased 99 years previously. Over the next five years he kept this diary, which describes in detail how Hong Kong was run as a British colony and what happened as the handover approached. The book gives unprecedented insights into negotiating with the Chinese, about how the institutions of democracy in Hong Kong were (belatedly) strengthened and how Patten sought to ensure that a strong degree of self-government would continue after 1997. Unexpectedly, his opponents included not only the Chinese themselves, but some British businessmen and civil service mandarins upset by Patten's efforts, for whom political freedom and the rule of law in Hong Kong seemed less important than keeping on the right side of Beijing. The book concludes with an account of what has happened in Hong Kong since the handover, a powerful assessment of recent events and Patten's reflections on how to deal with China - then and now.

You Can Find This Title In

    Product Details
    ISBN-13
    9780141999708
    Author
    Chris Patten
    Publisher
    Penguin UK
    Published
    4 June 2024
    Format
    Paperback / softback
    Pages
    560

    This product hasn't received any reviews yet. Be the first to review this product!

    RRP: $32.99
    $32.00
    Ships in 2-5 business days

    Delivery estimate

    Hurry up! Current stock:

    Hong Kong Diaries

    RRP: $32.99
    $32.00

    Description

    The diaries of the last British Governor, five weeks on the Sunday Times best-seller list

    In June 1992 Chris Patten went to Hong Kong as the last British governor, to try to prepare it not - as other British colonies over the decades - for independence, but for handing back in 1997 to the Chinese, from whom most of its territory had been leased 99 years previously. Over the next five years he kept this diary, which describes in detail how Hong Kong was run as a British colony and what happened as the handover approached. The book gives unprecedented insights into negotiating with the Chinese, about how the institutions of democracy in Hong Kong were (belatedly) strengthened and how Patten sought to ensure that a strong degree of self-government would continue after 1997. Unexpectedly, his opponents included not only the Chinese themselves, but some British businessmen and civil service mandarins upset by Patten's efforts, for whom political freedom and the rule of law in Hong Kong seemed less important than keeping on the right side of Beijing. The book concludes with an account of what has happened in Hong Kong since the handover, a powerful assessment of recent events and Patten's reflections on how to deal with China - then and now.

    You Can Find This Title In

      This Title Is Categorised As