STREETS OF HONG KONG PREMIUM TOURS

CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS RELATING TO THE HISTORY OF HONG KONG, CHINA AND MACAU

The following is not intended to be an exhaustive chronology of events and dates, but rather those events I consider relevant to the historical narrative presented on my private walking tours. Those dates highlighted in bold I consider more or less essential way points for a basic understanding of the joint historical narrative of China, Macau and Hong Kong in relation to the the era of globalized trade, etc., particularly vis-a-vis China’s principal modern rival, the United States.

Certain dates I have inserted to provide familiar points of reference for the reader and myself. As many of you know, at the beginning of my tours, I always refer to 1492 and 1498 as when the early modern period began. This seems to be a fact accepted by most historians. Connecting the dates in this chronology goes a long way towards helping one see the forest from the trees. I have been sorting through these events for several years now and I will be constantly fine tuning this chronology as new developments and revelations occur.

And no, I do not try to cover all of this on a walking tour.

This chronology has been updated for the Hong Kong Spy Trail.

• 510 BC SUN TZU’S THE ART OF WAR BEGINS CIRCULATION

• 1127-1279 SOUTHERN SONG DYNASTY

• 1150 ANGKOR WAT

• 1250-1517 MAMLUK SULTANATES OF EGYPT (VENETIAN/GENOESE (MIDDLE EAST SLAVE/SPICE TRADE)

• 1271-1295 VOYAGES OF MARCO POLO

• 1279 BATTLE OF YAMEN IN PEARL RIVER DELTA/END OF SONG DYNASTY/BOY EMPEROR NAMED KOWLOON RANGE (GAU LOONG/9 DRAGONS)

• 1279-1368 YUAN (MONGOL) DYNASTY (KUBLAI KHAN)

• 1347-1351 SECOND PLAGUE PANDEMIC, SIEGE OF KAFFA (DEMISE OF THE SILK ROAD)

• 1368-1644 MING DYNASTY

• 1394-1460 PRINCE HENRY THE NAVIGATOR OF PORTUGAL (AGE OF DISCOVERY)

• 1405-1433 WESTERN VOYAGES OF ZHENG HE

• 1420 FORBIDDEN CITY

• 1488 A-MA TEMPLE (MACAU)

• 1488 BAROLOMEU DIAZ ROUNDS CAPE OF GOOD HOPE

• 1492 COLUMBUS SAILS TO THE AMERICAS (THE SPANISH SILVER WINDFALL)

• 1494 TREATY OF TORDESILLAS (ASIA, AFRICA, BRAZIL AND THE MOLUCCAS/SPICE ISLANDS FOR THE PORTUGUESE; CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA AND PHILLIPINES FOR THE SPANISH)

• 1498 VASCO DA GAMA SAILS TO CALICUT INDIA (EAST MEETS WEST BY SEA)

• 1505-1517 PORTUGUESE MAMLUK NAVAL WAR (DEMISE OF ARAB/INDIES SPICE TRADE)

• 1510-1961 PORTUGUESE GOA (CASA DA INDIA)

• 1511 PORTUGUESE SEIZE MALACCA

• 1511 PORTUGUESE TRADERS ARRIVE IN SIAM

• 1513 PORTUGUESE LAND IN VICINITY OF LINTIN ISLAND AND TUEN MUN (JORGE ALVARES)

• 1513 PORTUGUESE ARRIVE IN MALUKU SPICE ISLANDS

• 1519-1521 SPANISH CONQUEST OF MEXICO (CORTEZ)

• 1521 MAGELLAN LANDS IN PHILLIPINES

• 1555 FOUNDING OF PORTUGUESE MACAU

• 1564 PORTUGAL EXPANDS TRADE BETWEEN INDIA, JAPAN AND CHINA (GOLDEN AGE OF MACAU)

• 1565 URDANETA DISCOVERS EASTWARD PACIFIC ROUTE FOR SPAIN

• 1565-1815 ACAPULCO/MANILA GALLEON TRADE (THE SILVER WAY/PIECES OF EIGHT)

• 1571 PORTUGUESE NAGASAKI FOUNDED (NAMBAN, SOUTHERN BARBARIAN, TRADE)

• 1572 THE LUSIADS PUBLISHED BY LUIS CAMOES

• 1583 SANTA CASA MISERICORDIA (MACAU)

• 1594 ST PAUL’S COLLEGE OF MACAU

• 1600-1602 DUTCH (VOC) AND BRITISH (EIC) EAST INDIA COMPANIES

• 1601 MATTEO RICCI GRANTED ACCESS TO FORBIDDEN CITY

• 1612 BATTLE OF SWALLY (EIC BEGINS PRESENCE IN INDIA)

• 1620 MAYFLOWER LANDS AT PLYMOUTH MASSACHUSETTS

• 1622 BATTLE OF MACAU (DUTCH INVASION FORCE REPELLED)

• 1627 KWUN YUM TEMPLE (MACAU)

• 1639 PORTUGUESE EXPELLED FROM NAGASAKI (END OF GOLDEN AGE OF MACAU)

• 1641 DUTCH CAPTURE MALACCA FROM THE PORTUGUESE

• 1644 END OF MING DYNASTY—MANCHU (CHING) DYNASTY BEGINS

• 1648 TREATY OF WESTPHALIA (THE ERA OF NATION STATES)

• 1661-1669 THE GREAT EVACUATION OF COASTAL AREAS OF CHINA

• 1661 ANGLO-PORTUGUESE TREATY

• 1662 PORTUGAL’S CATHERINE OF BRAGANZA INTRODUCES TEA TO BRITAIN

• 1661-1662 SIEGE OF ZEELANDIA/DUTCH EXPELLED FROM FORMOSA BY KOXINGA

• 1665 BOMBAY CEDED TO BRITAIN BY PORTUGAL

• 1667 DUTCH ABANDON MANHATTAN TO BRITISH IN EXCHANGE FOR RUN (A SPICE ISLAND)

• 1700 INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION BEGINS

• 1721 CALICO ACT (PROHIBITION OF IMPORTATION OF FINISHED INDIAN COTTON TO BRITAIN)

• 1723-1790 ADAM SMITH

• 1749 JOHN HARRISON INVENTS MARINE CHRONOMETER (ALLOWING LONGITUDE TO BE MEASURED)

• 1750-1840 MACAU BECOMES REFUGE FOR EUROPEAN TRADERS ON SOUTH CHINA COAST

• 1765-1767 BURMESE SIAMESE WAR (FALL OF AYUTHAYA)

• 1757 BATTLE OF PLASSEY (BRITISH EAST INDIA COMPANY DEFEATS THE NAWAB OF BENGAL)

• 1757 EIC MONOPOLY ON OPIUM PRODUCTION IN INDIA

• 1757-1842 CANTON TRADE SYSTEM (OLD CHINA TRADE)

• 1773 BOSTON TEA PARTY (EIC MONOPOLY EXTENDED TO AMERICAN COLONIES)

• 1776 DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE/UNITED STATES

• 1782 BANGKOK BECOMES CAPITAL OF SIAM

• 1783 TREATY OF PARIS (END OF AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR)

• 1784 “EMPRESS OF CHINA” FIRST US MISSION TO CHINA (SAMUEL SHAW)

• 1786 BRITISH PENANG

• 1793 LORD MACARTNEY, (BRITISH) MISSION TO CHINA

• 1799 END OF VOC/BEGINNING OF DUTCH EAST INDIES

• 1800 BEGINNING OF MODERN AGE OF COLONIAL IMPERIALISM

• 1810 PIRATES CHENG PO TSAI AND MADAME CHENG SHIH DEFEATED AT CHEK LAP KOK

• 1818-1883 KARL MARX

• 1819 STAMFORD RAFFLES ARRIVES IN SINGAPORE

• 1821 BRITISH EIC OPENS OLD PROTESTANT CEMETERY MACAU

• 1824-1948 BRITISH BURMA

• 1830-1895 THE GREAT GAME (BRITAIN AND RUSSIA IN CENTRAL ASIA)

• 1832 DAVID SASSOON AND SONS ARRIVE IN BOMBAY

• 1832 JARDINE MATHESON FOUNDED

• 1833 EIC MONOPOLY ENDS

• 1835 SAINT PAUL’S CATHEDRAL OF MACAU DESTROYED BY FIRE

• 1837-1901 REIGN OF QUEEN VICTORIA

• 1837 PENINSULAR AND ORIENTAL STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY

• 1839 -1841 FIRST ANGLO-CHINESE WAR (OPIUM WAR) (GUNBOAT DIPLOMACY)

• 1841 BRITISH LAND AT POSSESSION POINT, HONG KONG ISLAND

• 1842 HONG KONG ISLAND CEDED TO BRITAIN (CHINA’S “CENTURY OF FOREIGN HUMILIATIONS” BEGINS)

• 1842-1946 FOREIGN TREATY PORT SYSTEM PURSUANT TO “UNEQUAL TREATIES” BEGINS

• 1843-1869 AGE OF YANKEE CLIPPERS

• 1844 TREATY OF WANGXIA SIGNED IN MACAU (FIRST TREATY BETWEEN UNITED STATES AND CHINA)

• 1845 HONG KONG COLONIAL CEMETERY (HAPPY VALLEY)

• 1847 MAN MO TEMPLE (SHEUNG WAN)

• 1847 ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY HONG KONG BRANCH

• 1847 KOWLOON WALLED CITY FORTRESS

• 1848-1855 CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH (THE MOUNTAIN OF GOLD)

• 1849 BATTLE OF PASSALEAO BETWEEN PORTUGAL AND CHINA (MESQUITA’S WAR)

• 1855-1860 SECOND OPIUM WAR (THE ARROW WAR)

• 1857 ESING BAKERY INCIDENT/RICHARD CALDWELL AFFAIR

• 1860 OLD KOWLOON CEDED TO BRITAIN

• 1861-1865 AMERICAN CIVIL WAR

• 1862-1956 SIR ROBERT HO TUNG (COMPRADORE)

• 1852-1854 ADMIRAL PERRY’S EXPEDITION TO JAPAN

• 1854-1864 TAIPING REBELLION

• 1865 HSBC FOUNDED

• 1865-1936 RUDYARD KIPLING (AUTHOR)

• 1861-1908 EMPRESS DOWAGER CIXI

• 1866-1925 SUN YAT SEN (CHINESE REVOLUTIONARY)

• 1868-1912 MEIJI ERA MODERNIZATION (JAPAN)

• 1868-1952 HONG KONG HOTEL (GRIPPS RESTAURANT)

• 1869 SUEZ CANAL/TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD

• 1870 TUNG WAH HOSPITAL

• 1873-1929 LIANG QICHAO

• 1887-1970 MORRIS “TWO GUN” COHEN (SUN YAT SEN’S BODY GUARD)

• 1887-1975 CHIANG KAI SHEK

• 1868-1904 PRAYA RECLAMATION SCHEME HONG KONG

• 1887 SINO PORTUGUESE TREATY OF BEIJING

• 1887-1954 FRENCH INDOCHINA

• 1888 STAR FERRY AND PEAK TRAM

• 1889 JAPAN: GEN’YOSHA, DARK OCEAN SOCIETY

• 1891 HONG KONG STOCK MARKET

• 1892-1965 PEDRO JOSE LOBO (MACAU) “GOLDFINGER”

• 1893-1976 MAO ZEDONG

• 1894-1895 FIRST SIN0-JAPANESE WAR (JAPAN ANNEXES FORMOSA)

• 1894 THIRD BUBONIC PLAGUE PANDEMIC REACHES HONG KONG

• 1896 STATUE SQUARE (SYMBOLIC CENTER OF COLONIAL HONG KONG)

• 1898 NEW TERRITORIES LEASED TO BRITAIN FOR 99 YEARS EXPIRING IN 1997

• 1898 GERMAN OCCUPATION OF QINGDAO

• 1998 PHILIPPINES CEDED TO UNITED STATES BY SPAIN

• 1898 HUNDRED DAY’S REFORM (SELF-STRENGTHENING MOVEMENT)

• 1899 SIX DAY WAR (NEW TERRITORIES)

• 1900 BOXER REBELLION

• 1904 HONG KONG TRAMWAYS (DING DING)

• 1904 PEAK DISTRICT RESERVATION ORDINANCE ENACTED

• 1904-1905 RUSSO JAPANESE WAR

• 1906-1984 RICHARD “FOREIGN DEVIL” HUGHES (JOURNALIST)

• 1908 DEATH OF EXPRESS DOWAGER CIXI

• 1908-1964 IAN FLEMING

• 1910 JAPANESE ANNEXATION OF KOREA

• 1911 XINHAI REVOLUTION UNDER SUN YAT SEN ABOLISHES CHING DYNASTY AND ESTABLISHES REPUBLIC OF CHINA

• 1912 COURT OF FINAL APPEAL BUILDING (SYMBOL OF BRITISH RULE OF LAW)

• 1912 MI6 (BRITISH SECRET INTELLIGENCE SERVICE)

• 1912-1988 KIM PHILBY (KGB MOLE AND DEFECTOR)

• 1913 LUGARD ROAD ON VICTORIA PEAK

• 1914 PANAMA CANAL

• 1914-1918 WORLD WAR I

• 1919 TREATY OF VERSAILLES/MAY FOURTH MOVEMENT

• 1920 FOUNDING OF CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY

• 1920-1982 REPULSE BAY HOTEL

• 1921-1922 WASHINGTON NAVAL CONFERENCE

• 1922-1991 SOVIET UNION

• 1924-1998 KAI TAK AIRPORT

• 1925 SIK SIK YUEN WONG TAI SIN SHRINE (KOWLOON)

• 1925-1980 LEC LONG FIRE CRACKER FACTORY MACAU

• 1925 SHAMEEN INCIDENT AND SHANGHAI MASSACRE

• 1927 KUOMINTANG/CHINESE NATIONALIST PARTY

• 1927 CCP CENTRAL SPECIAL BRANCH (ZHOU ENLAI)

• 1927 SOMERSET MAUGHAM, ASHENDEN: OR THE BRITISH AGENT (SHORT STORIES)

• 1928 CHANG KAI SHEK BECOMES PRESIDENT OF REPUBLIC CHINA

• 1928 PENINSULA HOTEL, HONG KONG

• 1931 JAPAN SEIZES MANCHURIA

• 1931 HO CHI MIN DETAINED IN HONG KONG FOLLOWING FORMATION OF VIETNAMESE COMMUNIST PARTY THERE IN 1930

• 1931-2020 JOHN “LE CARRE” CORNWELL (AUTHOR)

• 1932 FIRST NEON SIGN FACTORY IN HONG KONG

• 1934 NKVD USSR

• 1934-1935 CHAIRMAN MAO’S LONG MARCH

• 1934-1995 HKPD SPECIAL BRANCH (POLITICAL BUREAU)

• 1937-1945 SECOND SINO-JAPANESE WAR/MARCO POLO BRIDGE INCIDENT

• 1937 QUEEN MARY HOSPITAL

• 1937 PAN AM TRANS-PACIFIC SERVICE TO MACAU/HONG KONG BEGINS

• 1938 US HOUSE COMMITTEE ON UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES

• 1940 EMILY HAHN (AUTHOR/ADVENTURESS) AND CHARLES BOXER (BRITISH ARMY INTELLIGENCE AND SCHOLAR) MEET IN HONG KONG

• 1940-1941 RICHARD SORGE; SOVIET MILITARY INTELLIGENCE OFFICER IN TOKYO

• 1941 ERNEST HEMINGWAY AND MARTHA GELHORN HONEY MOON IN HONG KONG

• 1941 PEARL HARBOR/BATTLE OF HONG KONG (JAPANESE OCCUPATION OF HONG KONG)

• 1941-1942 AMERICAN VOLUNTEER GROUP (FLYING TIGERS)

• 1942-1945 BRITISH ARMY AID GROUP (B.A.A.G.)

• 1941-1945 WORLD WAR II

• 1941-1945 JAPANESE OCCUPATION OF HONG KONG

• 1945 SOVIET INVASION OF MANCHURIA

• 1945 ATOMIC BOMB DROPPED ON HIROSHIMA AND NAGASAKI

• 1945 UN CHARTER SIGNED

• 1946 WINSTON CHURCHILL’S IRON CURTAIN SPEECH

• 1946 CATHAY PACIFIC AIRWAYS

• 1946-1964 BABY BOOMER GENERATION

• 1947 CIA ESTABLISHED

• 1947 REPUBLIC OF CHINA PUBLISHES FIRST MAP DEPICTING ELEVEN/NINE DASH LINE IN SOUTH CHINA SEA

• 1948-1960 MALAYAN EMERGENCY

• 1945 YALTA CONFERENCE, COLD WAR BEGINS

• 1945-1949 CHINESE CIVIL WAR RECOMMENCES

• 1948 THE MALAYSIA EMERGENCY

• 1949 GEORGE ORWELL’S 1984

• 1949 FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT’S CLUB RELOCATED FROM SHANGHAI TO HONG KONG

• 1949 N.A.T.O. FOUNDED

• 1949 PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ESTABLISHED, CENTURY OF FOREIGN HUMILIATIONS ENDS (BAMBOO CURTAIN BEGINS)

• 1949 CHIANG KAI SHEK EVACUATES NATIONALIST GOVERNMENT TO TAIWAN

• 1950 REFUGEE SURGE FROM PRC TO HONG KONG (HK ECONOMIC MIRACLE BEGINS)

• 1950-1953 KOREAN WAR, FIRST MILITARY CONFLICT OF COLD WAR

• 1951 ANNEXATION OF TIBET BY PRC

• 1952 A MANY SPLENDORED THING (HAN SUYIN)

• 1953 IAN FLEMING PUBLISHES CASINO ROYALE

• 1953 SHEK KIP MEI FIRE/PUBLIC HOUSING BEGINS

• 1953 DEATH OF JOSEPH STALIN

• 1953-1982 LASZLO LADANY PUBLISHES CHINA NEWS ANALYSIS NEWS LETTER

• 1954 KRUSHCHEV THAW BEGINS

• 1954 CATHAY PACIFIC VR-HEU DC-4 SHOT DOWN BY PLA

• 1954-1991 RUSSIAN KGB

• 1954-1955; 1958 FIRST AND SECOND TAIWAN STRAITS CRISES

• 1955 INDIA AIRLINES KASHMIR PRINCESS SABOTAGED

• 1955 SOLDIER OF FORTUNE, ERNEST GANN (FILM)

• 1955-1975 VIETNAM WAR

• 1956 100 FLOWERS CAMPAIGN

• 1956 SUEZ CRISIS

• 1956-1966 SINO-SOVIET SPLIT; KRUSHCHEV DENOUNCES STALIN IN “SECRET SPEECH”

• 1957 SPUTNIK 1

• 1957 US CONSULATE 26 GARDEN ROAD (PREVIOUSLY 9 ICE HOUSE STREET AND HSBC SECOND FLOOR)

• 1958-1962 GREAT LEAP FORWARD/GREAT FAMINE

• 1960 THE WORLD OF SUZY WONG (FILM)(Richard Mason)

• 1961-1971 SIR JOHN JAMES COWPERTHWAITE FINANCIAL SECRETARY(DOCTRINE OF POSITIVE NON-INTERVENTIONISM)

• 1962 IAN FLEMING’S, DR NO (FILM)

• 1962 CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS

• 1962 CHOI HUNG HOUSING ESTATE OPENS

• 1963 ASSASSINATION OF JFK

• 1963 KIM PHILBY DEFECTS TO MOSCOW

• 1963-1995 HONG KONG HILTON HOTEL

• 1964 MAO’S LITTLE RED BOOK

• 1965 LE CARRE’S THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD (FILM)

• 1964-1968 BRITAIN WITHDRAWS FROM SINGAPORE AND MALAYSIA

• 1964 CHINA SUCCESSFULLY EXPLODES ATOMIC BOMB

• 1964 BEATLES LAND IN HONG KONG

• 1965-1976 GENERATION X

• 1966-1976 CULTURAL REVOLUTION (WAR ON “THE FOUR OLDS”)

• 1966 OCEAN TERMINAL OPENS

• 1967 PRO COMMUNIST CIVIL RIOTS IN HONG KONG

• 1967 DISAPPEARANCE OF JIM THOMPSON (THAILAND)

• 1967 IAN FLEMINGS, YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE (FILM)

• 1967 PENTAGON PAPERS

• 1969 APOLLO 11 MOON LANDING/WOODSTOCK MUSIC FESTIVAL

• 1969 SINO-SOVIET BORDER DISPUTE

• 1971 US PING PONG TEAM VISITS CHINA (PING PONG DIPLOMACY)

• 1971 BILL’S FIRST VISIT TO HONG KONG

• 1971 BOTTOM’S UP BAR OPENS IN TSIM SHA TSUI

• 1971 KOWLOON WHARF AND GODOWN COMPANY OPENS FIRST CONTAINER BERTH IN TSIM SHA TSUI

• 1972 RICHARD NIXON VISITS CHINA

• 1972 CROSS HARBOR TUNNEL

• 1972 RMS QUEEN ELIZABETH BURNS AND SINKS IN HONG KONG HARBOUR

• 1973 OPEC OIL EMBARGO

• 1973 FIRST CONTAINER BERTH OPENED AT KWAI CHUNG

• 1973 BRUCE LEE’S ENTER THE DRAGON

• 1974 RICHARD NIXON RESIGNS

• 1974 IAN FLEMING’S MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN (FILM)

• 1974 JOHN LE CARRE’S, TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY (BOOK)

• 1975 FALL OF SAIGON; END OF VIETNAM WAR

• 1975 CHURCH COMMITTEE (INTELLIGENCE OVERSIGHT)

• 1977-1995 MILLENNIAL/GENERATION Y

• 1977 LE CARRE’S, THE HONOURABLE SCHOOLBOY

• 1978 DENG XIAOPING/REFORM AND OPENING UP BEGINS

• 1979 CHINA GRANTED FULL DIPLOMATIC RECOGNITION BY US

• 1979 MTR OPENS IN KOWLOON

• 1979 SINO-VIETNAMESE WAR

• 1980 SHENZHEN SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONE

• 1980-? CHINA BEGINS BUYING/ACCUMULATING US DEBT

• 1980 JOCK KANE BLOWS THE WHISTLE ON GCHQ HONG KONG

• 1981 JAMES CLAVELL, NOBLE HOUSE (NOVEL)

• 1983 CHINESE MINISTRY OF STATE SECURITY

• 1984 RICHARD ”FOREIGN DEVIL” HUGHES DIES

• 1984 SINO BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION ON RETROCEDENCE OF HONG KONG TO PRC

• 1987 BLACK MONDAY

• 1989 TIANANMEN SQUARE INCIDENT

• 1990 DEMOLITION OF BERLIN WALL

• 1991 END OF USSR

• 1991 FIRST GULF WAR

• 1991 BILL IN WARSAW

• 1993 TIAN TAN BUDDHA (LANTAU)

• 1993 CENTRAL MID-LEVELS ESCALATOR

• 1993-1994 KOWLOON WALLED CITY DEMOLISHED

• 1996-2012 GENERATION Z

• 1997 HONG KONG RETROCEDED TO CHINA (“ONE COUNTRY TWO SYSTEMS” BEGINS FOR 50 YEARS)/HONG KONG SAR BEGINS

• 1997 ASIAN FINANCIAL CRISIS

• 1998 KAI TAK AIRPORT CLOSED/CHEK LAP KOK AIRPORT OPENS

• 1999 MACAU RETROCEDES TO CHINA/MACAU SAR BEGINS

• 1999 CHINA BELGRADE EMBASSY BOMBED

• 1999 FIRST ROUND OF WARSAW PACT NATO EXPANSION

• 2000 DOT-COM BUBBLE BURSTS

• 2001 9-11

• 2001 CHINA ADMITTED TO WT0

• 2002 MACAU ENDS CASINO MONOPOLY OF STANLEY HO (KING OF MACAU)

• 2003 SARS OUTBREAK IN CHINA, HONG KONG, TAIWAN, SINGAPORE

• 2008 BEIJING OLYMPICS

• 2008 THE GREAT RECESSION/SUBPRIME FINANCIAL CRISIS/CHINA INCURS DEBT

• 2012 XI JINPING APPOINTED SUPREME LEADER OF CHINA (THOUGHTS ON SOCIALISM WITH CHINESE CHARACTERISTICS BEGIN)

• 2012 OBAMA ADMINISTRATION PIVOT TO ASIA BEGINS

• 2013 EDWARD SNOWDEN LANDS IN HONG KONG

• 2013 BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVE

• 2013 KAI TAK CRUISE TERMINAL

• 2013-2016 SOUTH CHINA SEA ARBITRATION

• 2014 UMBRELLA MOVEMENT

• 2015 CAUSEWAY BAY BOOK PUBLISHER AFFAIR

• 2015 BILL’S FIRST PRIVATE TOUR

• 2018 HONG KONG ZHUHAI MACAU BRIDGE AND WEST KOWLOON STATION OPENED

• 2018 TRUMP ADMIN COMMENCES US/CHINA TRADE WAR

• 2019 EXTRADITION LAW PROPOSED AND WITHDRAWN; HONG KONG CIVIL DISTURBANCES

• 2020 COVID 19 VIRUS PANDEMIC BEGINS

• 2020 NATIONAL SECURITY LAW ENACTED IN HONG KONG (JULY 1, 2020)

• 2022 UKRAINE CONFLICT BEGINS

• 2022 JUMBO FLOATING KINGDOM SINKS IN SOUTH CHINA SEA

• 2022 TAIWAN TENSIONS RETURN

• 2022 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF HONG KONG SAR

• 2022 DEATH OF QUEEN ELIZABETH II

• 2022 XI JINPING’S THIRD 5 YEAR TERM BEGINS

• 2023 HONG KONG FULLY REOPENS FOR TOURISM

• 2023 PLANNED REDEVELOPMENT OF CHOI HUNG HOUSING ESTATE LEAKED

• 2047 END OF ONE COUNTRY TWO SYSTEMS IN HONG KONG ACCORDING TO SINO-BRITISH DECLARATION

• 2049 FIRST CENTENNIAL OF PRC (100 YEAR MARATHON)