(More than two decades ago, on a rainy night in 1997, Britishsoldiers lowered the Union Flag and Chinese soldiers raised theChinese flag in Hong Kong. The people of Hong Kong feltsimutanously proud of their Chinese heritage and their unique HongKong identity. )
(The people of Hong Kong hoped that in the years and decades tocome, China would increasingly come to resemble its most radiantand dynamic city. The rest of the world was electrified by a senseof optimism that Hong Kong was a glimpse into China’s future, notthat Hong Kong would grow into a reflection of China’s past.)