New Flags Fly over Hong Kong

A New Day and a New Era for Hong Kong

The Red Flag is raised

The moment has come.....

The end of Britain's control was marked by much pomp and circumstance. Now the British have left - the Prince of Wales and the colony's former Govenor, Chris Patten aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia.

About 4,000 VIPs crowded into Hong Kong's new convention centre for the ceremony; the British and Chinese delegations sat separately on raised platforms.

Prince Charles was flanked by Tony Blair, Foreign Secretary Robin Cook, the former Governor, Chris Patten, and General Sir Charles Guthrie, the UK's Chief of General Staff.

The handover ceremony

On the other were their Chinese counterparts, President Jiang Zemin, prime minister Li Peng, foreign minister Qian Qichen and Chinese military chief General Zhang Wannian.

The Prince spoke of Hong Kong's great achievements. "The triumphant success of Hong Kong demands - and deserves - to be maintained," he said. "Hong Kong has shown the world how East and West can live and work together."

The Prince, the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary

A good deal of his speech focused on the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration which guarantees Hong Kong its own elected legislature, laws and liberties, autonomy and its own separate trading and financial systems.

"Those special elements have served Hong Kong well over the past two decades," he said. "The solemn pledges made before the world in the 1984 Joint Declaration guarantee the continuity of Hong Kong's way of life. For its part the United Kingdom will maintain its unwavering support for the Joint Declaration. Our commitment and our strong links to Hong Kong will continue and will, I am confident, flourish, as Hong Kong and its people themselves continue to flourish."

Then as midnight approached he ended British rule with a special message for the people of Hong Kong. "We shall not forget you, and we shall watch with the closest interest as you embark on this new era of your remarkable history," he said.

Britannia bears away Prince Charles and Chris Patten

In his speech President Jiang said: "July 1, 1997, will go down in the annals of history as a day that merits eternal memory."

Mr Blair has issued a warning to the Chinese to respect the Joint Declaration on Hong Kong's future. In his most outspoken warning, Mr Blair warned that the territory would be destroyed if the Chinese did not stick to the terms of the Declaration.

He told Channel 4 News: "If we have to act, the people of Hong Kong would expect us to mobilise international opinion. China must know that Hong Kong would be destroyed if they were to undermine the Joint Declaration."

At the same time as the handover was taking place, a much smaller but important ceremony was taking place half a mile away. Lieutenant Colonel Jeremy Ellis, the camp commander at the British forces headquarters on the Hong Kong waterfront handed over the building to the People's Liberation Army.

Guards of honour from each Army saluted - Lt Col Ellis informed the Chinese commander the barracks were now his. The British troops turned and marched out.

An emotional day for Patten

On board the Royal Yacht, the Prince and the former Governor waved farewell to crowds as the ship drew away from the dockside to the strains of Rule Britannia and Land of Hope and Glory played by the band of the Royal Marines.

Before boarding, Mr Patten spent almost half an hour saying goodbye to friends and staff who had had gathered on the dockside.

As Mr Patten shook hands with the crowds, the Prince stood back, to allow the former Governor to mingle with the people who had helped him through his five years in office.