In its multi-faceted role as a repository of traditional Chinese
culture, the last jewel in the crown of the British Empire and one
of the key economies of the Pacific Rim, HONG KONG is East
Asia's most extraordinary city. The territory's per capita GNP, for
example, has doubled in a decade, overtaking that of the former
imperial power. Yet the inequality of incomes is staggering: the
conspicuous consumption of the few hundred super-rich (all
Cantonese) for which Hong Kong is famous tends to mask the fact
that most people work long hours and live in crowded, tiny
apartments. In spite of this, the population of almost seven
million is generally sophisticated and well informed compared to
their mainland cousins, the result of a vibrant and free press
(although self-censorship is a constant and growing concern). The
territory is currently the largest trading partner and largest
source of foreign investment for the People's Republic of China, a
country of 1.2 billion people. And the view of sky-scrapered Hong
Kong Island, across the harbour from Kowloon, is one of the most
stunning urban panoramas on earth.
The territory of Hong Kong comprises an irregularly shaped
peninsula abutting the Pearl River Delta to the west, and a number
of offshore islands, which cover in total more than a thousand
square kilometres. The bulk of this area, namely the land in the
north of the peninsula as well as most of the islands, is
semi-rural and is known as the New Territories - this was
the land leased to Britain for 99 years in 1898. The southern part
of the peninsula, known as Kowloon , and the island
immediately south of here, Hong Kong Island , are the
principal urban areas of Hong Kong. They were ceded to Britain in
perpetuity, though the British government in 1984 saw no
alternative but to agree to hand back the entire territory as one
piece, so that from midnight on June 30, 1997, it has been the
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China.
The island of Hong Kong offers not only traces of the old
colony - from English place names to ancient trams trundling
along the shore - but also superb modern architecture and
bizarre cityscapes of towering buildings teetering up impossible
slopes, as well as unexpected opportunities for hiking and
even bathing on the beaches of its southern shore. Kowloon,
in particular its southernmost tip, Tsimshatsui , is where
many visitors end up staying. This is not only the budget
accommodation centre of Hong Kong, but also the most cosmopolitan
area of perhaps any Chinese city, with a substantial population of
immigrants from the Indian subcontinent. And as the territory's
principal tourist trap, it boasts more shops offering a greater
variety of goods per square kilometre than anywhere in the world
(not necessarily at reasonable prices, though). North of
Tsimshatsui, Kowloon stretches away into the New Territories, an
area of so-called New Towns as well as ancient villages,
secluded beaches and rural tranquillity. In addition, there are the
offshore islands , which are well worth a visit for their
fish restaurants, scenery and, if nothing else, for the experience
of chugging about on the inter-island ferries . The islands
of Lamma and Lantau , in particular, offer a
relatively rural and traffic-free contrast to the hubbub of
downtown Hong Kong.
Some visitors dislike the speed, the obsessive materialism and
the addiction to shopping, money and brand names in Hong Kong. As
in many a Western city, the locals are reserved towards strangers,
and, with its perennial massive engineering projects (something
else which hasn't been changed by the handover), downtown is
certainly not a place to recover from a headache. On the other
hand, it's hard not to enjoy the sheer energy of its street- and
commercial life, which continues despite the uncertainties over the
long-term future of the city