Today in History - July 1 - Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule

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1997: Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule.

At midnight on June 30/July 1, 1997, the crown colony of Hong Kong officially reverted to Chinese sovereignty, ending 156 years of British rule. After a formal handover ceremony on July 1 that culminated a 13-year transition period, the colony became the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of the People's Republic of China. The Sino-British Joint Declaration on the Question of Hong Kong (1984) stipulated that under Chinese rule the HKSAR would enjoy a high degree of autonomy, except in matters of foreign relations and defense, and that the social and economic systems as well as the lifestyle in Hong Kong would remain unchanged for 50 years after 1997.

source: Britannica Encyclopedia