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Britain and China sign the Joint Declaration, setting out the terms of the return of sovereignty of Hong Kong to China in 1997. The two nations promise that Hong Kong’s freedoms and way of life would continue unchanged for 50 years after the handover. Hong Kong people were also promised “a legislature constituted by elections”.
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Sovereignty of Hong Kong is returned to China at midnight on June 30.
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In the early hours of July 1, the new administrations is sworn in and the Hong Kong Basic Law goes into effect. It states that the selection of Chief Executive is to be ultimately by means of Universal Suffrage (Article 45). But it also says the method for selecting the Chief Executive “shall be specified “in accordance with the principle of gradual and orderly progress.” Article 45 also stipulates that universal suffrage is universal suffrage is the ultimate goal.
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The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress bars any substantial changes, ruling that “ in the circumstances, conditions do not exist for the selection of the Chief Executive by universal suffrage upon nomination by a broadly representative nominating committee in accordance with democratic procedures.” It also ruled out the election of all Legislative Council members by universal suffrage.
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Chin'a Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress postpones limited reform of Legco until 2012 - and postpones direct elections of HK's Chief Executive and Legislative Council respectively until 2017 and 2018 -- at the earliest.
