Historical eventJuly 11997

Handover of Hong Kong

China resumes sovereignty over the city-state of Hong Kong, ending 156 years of British colonial rule. The handover ceremony is attended by British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Charles, Prince of Wales, Chinese President Jiang Zemin and U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.

Everything on July 1Original source

In context

When
Tuesday, July 1 199729 years ago
Category
Historical eventA dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
Era
20th century · 1990s
Recorded from
Wikipedia “On this day” feed

At a glance

Dates: From 1997-07-01.

Place: Hong Kong, People's Republic of China.

Type: transfer of sovereignty.

What happened

The handover of Hong Kong from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the People's Republic of China occurred at midnight on 1 July 1997. This event ended 156 years of British rule, dating back to the capture of Hong Kong Island in 1841 during the First Opium War.

July 1 through the years

Other entries on the same calendar day, in order.

  1. 1997Handover of Hong Kong
  2. 2002International Criminal Court
  3. 20022002 Überlingen mid-air collision
  4. 2003Article 23
  5. 2004Saturn
  6. 2006Qinghai–Tibet railway
  7. 2007Smoking bans in the United Kingdom
  8. 20082008 riot in Mongolia
  9. 2013Croatia
  10. 2020United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement
  11. 2024National War Memorial (Newfoundland)

Also in 1997

  • May 11Deep Blue (chess computer)Deep Blue defeated Garry Kasparov in six games to become the first chess computer to win a match against a world champion.
  • September 11NASANASA's Mars Global Surveyor reaches Mars.
  • September 11Kurkse tragedyKurkse tragedy: Fourteen Estonian soldiers of the Baltic Battalion are drowned or die of hypothermia during a training exercise in the Ku…
  • September 111997 Scottish devolution referendumAfter a nationwide referendum, Scotland votes to establish a devolved parliament within the United Kingdom.
  • September 13German Air ForceA German Air Force Tupolev Tu-154 and a United States Air Force Lockheed C-141 Starlifter collide in mid-air near Namibia, killing 33.
  • September 14Howrah–Ahmedabad Superfast ExpressEighty-one killed as five bogies of the Ahmedabad–Howrah Express plunge into a river in Bilaspur district of Madhya Pradesh, India.
  • September 18Ted TurnerUnited States media magnate Ted Turner donates US$1 billion to the United Nations.
  • September 18Ottawa TreatyThe Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention is adopted.

Everything we record for 1997 →

Sources

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“Handover of Hong Kong”, What's On This Date, https://whatsonthisdate.com/app/event/handover-of-hong-kong-1997-july-1, accessed October 29, 2026.

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Questions about this entry

When did Handover of Hong Kong happen?

July 1 1997 — 29 years ago, on a Tuesday.

Where does this text come from?

Wikipedia “On this day” feed. Summaries are short adaptations that link back to the source, not reprints.

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Use the ready-made citation near the sources at the bottom of the page, and follow the source link to cite the underlying record as well.

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