New Hong Kong school textbooks claim region was 'occupied territory', not a British colony

A fresh controversy erupted after new school textbooks claimed that Hong Kong was never a British colony. Over a few decades, schoolchildren across the world have been taught that Hong Kong was once under the colonial rule of the British Empire, but the new learning material says that Hong Kong was an "occupied territory rather than a British colony." But now children will learn a different lesson with the new changes in the textbooks. 

This comes at a time when Hong Kong prepares to commemorate 25 years since its handover to China in the year 1997 on July 1. The narrative that rejects the relationship of Britishers to the city will now be clearly taught to the students of Hong Kong high schools. According to the New York Times report, the textbook material is still under review by principals, teachers, scholars, and employees of Hong Kong's Education Bureau. 

Hong Kong: New school books claim territory was not a British colony

Notably, the change in historic facts and figures is part of a wider campaign led by Chinese President Xi Jinping to overhaul Hong Kong’s schools, "protect young minds" and raise loyal, patriotic citizens. In simpler words this can be asserted as the Communist regime of China is trying to claim that Hong Kong was always a part of China and that it was not handed over by the British empire. A Hong Kong pro-democracy activist and a doctoral candidate in history at Georgetown University, Jeffry Ngo stated that the Chinese government's position "is a shorthand for saying, Hong Kong was always a part of China, thus Hong Kongers could never claim a right of self-determination."

"It’s about trying to make sure the next generation of young kids are going to be supportive or at least sympathetic to what the government is saying." He further added, "This is part of the remake of Hong Kong in the national security era."

History of Hong Kong

The British Empire had established the colony of Hong Kong after the Qing Empire ceded Hong Kong Island to Xin'an County at the end of the First Opium War in 1841 and then again in 1842. The colony expanded to the Kowloon Peninsula in 1860 after the Second Opium War and was further extended when Britain obtained a 99-year lease of the New Territories in 1898. During World War 2, between the years 1941 and 1945, Imperial Japan managed to occupy British Hong Kong, and after the surrender of Japan, the British administration resumed. Later, the entire territory was transferred to China in 1997. Hong Kong Under the "one country, two systems" policy, China's special administrative region maintained separate government and economic systems from mainland China.

Image: AP/ Representative