Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Pearl of the Orient

Hong Kong is located in the southern part of China, to the east of the Pearl River Estuary, facing Macau across the sea to the west, adjacent to Shenzhen to the north, and overlooking the Wanshan Archipelago of Zhuhai to the south. The region includes Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, the New Territories, and 262 surrounding islands, with a land area of 1,113.76 square kilometers and a sea area of 1,641.21 square kilometers, totaling 2,754.97 square kilometers. With a total population of 7.3332 million, it is one of the most densely populated areas in the world, with the highest life expectancy globally and ranking fourth in the Human Development Index. Hong Kong has been Chinese territory since ancient times and was under British colonial rule from 1842 to 1997. After World War II, Hong Kong's economy and society developed rapidly, becoming one of the 'Four Asian Tigers' and one of the wealthiest, most economically developed, and highest living standard areas in the world. On July 1, 1997, the Chinese government resumed sovereignty over Hong Kong, and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region was established. The central government has full governance over Hong Kong, which maintains its capitalist system unchanged for the long term and enjoys a high degree of autonomy in all affairs except foreign affairs and defense, participating in international organizations and conferences under the name 'Hong Kong, China.' 'One country, two systems,' 'Hong Kong people ruling Hong Kong,' and a high degree of autonomy are the basic national policies of the Chinese government. Hong Kong is a highly prosperous free port and international metropolis, known as 'Ny-Lon-Kong' together with New York and London, and is the world's third-largest financial center, an important international trade, shipping center, and international innovation and technology center. Hong Kong is a place where Eastern and Western cultures blend, combining Chinese wisdom with Western social management experience, and is known for its clean government, good public order, free economic system, and sound legal system, earning reputations such as the Pearl of the Orient, a food paradise, and a shopping paradise. In 2022, it achieved a gross regional product of 2,827 billion Hong Kong dollars, approximately 2,428 billion yuan.