The Chinese flag is raised by People's Liberation Army soldiers to signal Hong Kong's return to Chinese sovereignty after 156 years of British rule, in Hong Kong, July 1, 1997. Reuters File Photo The Chinese flag is raised by People's Liberation Army soldiers to signal Hong Kong's return to Chinese sovereignty after 156 years of British rule, in Hong Kong, July 1, 1997. Reuters File Photo
December 1, 1998- A small investor watches share prices inside a bank in Hong Kong. The 1997-98 Asian financial crisis triggered a market sell-off that led some emerging economies to impose trading controls or buy assets to calm investors. Hong Kong surprised markets with a $15 billion intervention. Supporters say the intervention saved the city during the crisis. Reuters File Photo December 1, 1998- A small investor watches share prices inside a bank in Hong Kong. The 1997-98 Asian financial crisis triggered a market sell-off that led some emerging economies to impose trading controls or buy assets to calm investors. Hong Kong surprised markets with a $15 billion intervention. Supporters say the intervention saved the city during the crisis. Reuters File Photo
February 8, 1999- More than 100 mainland Chinese visitors wearing headbands protest outside Hong Kong's Legal Aid Department to demand immediate residency in the territory. Reuters File Photo February 8, 1999- More than 100 mainland Chinese visitors wearing headbands protest outside Hong Kong's Legal Aid Department to demand immediate residency in the territory. Reuters File Photo
February 23, 2000- Investors queue up at HSBC bank in Hong Kong to apply to buy shares in tom.com, a new startup controlled by billionaire tycoon Li Ka-shing. Reuters File Photo February 23, 2000- Investors queue up at HSBC bank in Hong Kong to apply to buy shares in tom.com, a new startup controlled by billionaire tycoon Li Ka-shing. Reuters File Photo
May 9, 2001- Falun Gong followers meditate in Hong Kong. Members of the spiritual movement have over the years protested in Hong Kong after Beijing banned the group on the mainland in 1999, declaring it a 'cult'. Reuters File Photo May 9, 2001- Falun Gong followers meditate in Hong Kong. Members of the spiritual movement have over the years protested in Hong Kong after Beijing banned the group on the mainland in 1999, declaring it a 'cult'. Reuters File Photo
April 25, 2002- Hong Kong relatives of Chinese migrants cry after being expelled from a park in central Hong Kong. The residency issue flared up in 2002 when Hong Kong began deporting some 4,000 mainland Chinese who lost legal battles to stay in the territory. Reuters File Photo April 25, 2002- Hong Kong relatives of Chinese migrants cry after being expelled from a park in central Hong Kong. The residency issue flared up in 2002 when Hong Kong began deporting some 4,000 mainland Chinese who lost legal battles to stay in the territory. Reuters File Photo
May 22, 2003- A mourner wears a mask to ward off the SARS virus while attending the funeral of doctor Tse Yuen-man in Hong Kong. Hong Kong was the hardest hit by the flu-like SARS virus when the WHO declared a pandemic in March 2003. Some 299 people died before the territory was declared SARS free in June. Reuters File Photo May 22, 2003- A mourner wears a mask to ward off the SARS virus while attending the funeral of doctor Tse Yuen-man in Hong Kong. Hong Kong was the hardest hit by the flu-like SARS virus when the WHO declared a pandemic in March 2003. Some 299 people died before the territory was declared SARS free in June. Reuters File Photo
July 1, 2004- Demonstrators crowd a main street at a Hong Kong shopping district during a rally. Hundreds of thousands of protesters hit the streets on the 7th anniversary of the handover after China ruled out the possibility of universal suffrage in Hong Kong in 2007 and 2008, further slowing the pace of political reform. Reuters File Photo July 1, 2004- Demonstrators crowd a main street at a Hong Kong shopping district during a rally. Hundreds of thousands of protesters hit the streets on the 7th anniversary of the handover after China ruled out the possibility of universal suffrage in Hong Kong in 2007 and 2008, further slowing the pace of political reform. Reuters File Photo
December 17, 2005- A Hong Kong riot policeman scuffles with a South Korean farmer as anti-globalisation protesters try to disrupt a World Trade Organisation conference in Hong Kong. Reuters File Photo December 17, 2005- A Hong Kong riot policeman scuffles with a South Korean farmer as anti-globalisation protesters try to disrupt a World Trade Organisation conference in Hong Kong. Reuters File Photo
October 22, 2006- Activists shout slogans and wave the Chinese flag aboard a vessel in Hong Kong. In October 2006, a boat carrying activists from the Hong Kong-based Action Committee for Defending the Diaoyu Islands sailed within 20 km of the main island in the chain before they were warned off by a Japanese patrol boat. Reuters File Photo October 22, 2006- Activists shout slogans and wave the Chinese flag aboard a vessel in Hong Kong. In October 2006, a boat carrying activists from the Hong Kong-based Action Committee for Defending the Diaoyu Islands sailed within 20 km of the main island in the chain before they were warned off by a Japanese patrol boat. Reuters File Photo
August 1, 2007- Activists fight to save the Queen's Pier in Hong Kong's financial district. The colonial-era pier in the city's financial heart became a civic battleground in 2007. Reuters File Photo August 1, 2007- Activists fight to save the Queen's Pier in Hong Kong's financial district. The colonial-era pier in the city's financial heart became a civic battleground in 2007. Reuters File Photo
July 16, 2008- Kong Siu-kau waits for dinner in a small cage in Hong Kong's Tai Kok Tsui district.ÊAs soaring property prices forced rents higher, thousands of Hong Kong residents moved into "cage homes", 15-square-foot wire mesh cubicles usually crammed eight in a room. Reuters File Photo July 16, 2008- Kong Siu-kau waits for dinner in a small cage in Hong Kong's Tai Kok Tsui district.ÊAs soaring property prices forced rents higher, thousands of Hong Kong residents moved into "cage homes", 15-square-foot wire mesh cubicles usually crammed eight in a room. Reuters File Photo
June 4, 2009- Activists hold a candlelight vigil at Hong Kong's Victoria Park on to mark the 20th anniversary of the crackdown on the pro-democracy movement in Beijing's Tiananmen Square in 1989. Reuters File Photo June 4, 2009- Activists hold a candlelight vigil at Hong Kong's Victoria Park on to mark the 20th anniversary of the crackdown on the pro-democracy movement in Beijing's Tiananmen Square in 1989. Reuters File Photo
January 16, 2010- Protesters against a proposed high-speed railway to mainland China bow during a march to government headquarters in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong government's proposed high-speed railway to the mainland became a lightning rod for broader discontent at the territory's lack of democracy and government accountability for major policies. Reuters File Photo January 16, 2010- Protesters against a proposed high-speed railway to mainland China bow during a march to government headquarters in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong government's proposed high-speed railway to the mainland became a lightning rod for broader discontent at the territory's lack of democracy and government accountability for major policies. Reuters File Photo
July 13, 2011- Hundreds of protesters throw paper planes outside the Legislative Council in Hong Kong. A contentious bill to scrap the mechanism for Legislative Council by-elections triggered several days of protests outside the council building. Reuters File Photo July 13, 2011- Hundreds of protesters throw paper planes outside the Legislative Council in Hong Kong. A contentious bill to scrap the mechanism for Legislative Council by-elections triggered several days of protests outside the council building. Reuters File Photo
July 1, 2012- Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying (L) takes oath in front of Chinese President Hu Jintao during the inauguration of the new government in Hong Kong. Reuters File Photo July 1, 2012- Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying (L) takes oath in front of Chinese President Hu Jintao during the inauguration of the new government in Hong Kong. Reuters File Photo
June 14, 2013- Passengers watch a television screen broadcasting news about Edward Snowden on a train in Hong Kong. Reuters File Photo June 14, 2013- Passengers watch a television screen broadcasting news about Edward Snowden on a train in Hong Kong. Reuters File Photo
September 28, 2014- A protester raises his umbrellas after riot police fire tear gas to disperse protesters in Hong Kong. Large-scale protests calling for a fully democratic vote to choose Hong Kong's next leader rocked the city for over two months in 2014. Reuters File Photo September 28, 2014- A protester raises his umbrellas after riot police fire tear gas to disperse protesters in Hong Kong. Large-scale protests calling for a fully democratic vote to choose Hong Kong's next leader rocked the city for over two months in 2014. Reuters File Photo
November 17, 2015- Hong Kong fans hold banners and character signs which read "Hong Kong is not China", during the 2018 World Cup qualifying match between Hong Kong and China, in Hong Kong. Reuters File Photo November 17, 2015- Hong Kong fans hold banners and character signs which read "Hong Kong is not China", during the 2018 World Cup qualifying match between Hong Kong and China, in Hong Kong. Reuters File Photo
February 9, 2016- An unidentified injured man is escorted by riot police at Mong Kok in Hong Kong. Riot police used batons and pepper spray early to quell fights after authorities tried to move illegal street vendors from a working-class Hong Kong district, the worst street clashes since pro-democracy protests in late 2014. Reuters File Photo February 9, 2016- An unidentified injured man is escorted by riot police at Mong Kok in Hong Kong. Riot police used batons and pepper spray early to quell fights after authorities tried to move illegal street vendors from a working-class Hong Kong district, the worst street clashes since pro-democracy protests in late 2014. Reuters File Photo