HONG KONG: THE LAST DAY OF BRITISH COLONIAL RULE UPDATE

(30 Jun 1997) Cant/Eng/Nat

Hong Kong woke up to the last day of British colonial rule on Monday.

With only hours to go, the last touches were being put on preparations to hand Hong Kong back to the Chinese after 156 years of British rule.

But the handover ceremony has been fraught with political wranglings -- with high ranking officials from both China and Britain refusing to attend celebrations on each side.

The last dawn of an era is about to fade into history.

When the sun rises again, Hong Kong will be under Chinese rule.

Shortly after sun up, the soldiers of the Black Watch, one of Britain's most famous fighting regiments, raised the Union Jack for the last time.

It was a moment tinged with sadness.

The flag of Britain was first raised here 156 years ago by Royal Naval officers who scrambled ashore to claim Hong Kong for Queen and country.

A century and a half later, many Hong Kong residents queued for hours just to get the post office stamp of the British Crown on their mail.

For other Hong Kong Chinese, though, the day started as usual: with Tai-chi in the park.

It has been a nostalgic last few days for the British Governor Chris Patten: everything that he has done has been for the last time.

In the last 24 hours, Britain has staged some final flourishes. Prince Charles bestowed knighthoods on three of the colony's luminaries.

U-S Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright and the British Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, met to exchange views about Hong Kong.

Both Britain and the U-S have been among the most vehement critics of Chinese threats to roll back freedoms in the territory.

But the British Foreign Secretary expressed hopes that differences over Hong Kong wouldn't eclipse Britain's improving relations with China.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
\"Yes we do want a new start with Beijing. We want to be able to deal with each other as major players on the international scene and also as countries that have quite a strong and developing economic link. Of course central to that relationship will be Hong Kong. We see Hong Kong as potentially a bridge, not a barrier between ourselves and China.\"
SUPER CAPTION: Robin Cook, British Foreign Secretary

The new guard arrived on Monday: China's Foreign Secretary Qian Qichen flew in -- the highest Chinese official to attend Britain's lavish ceremonies overnight.

But there is another side to the pomp and ceremony. During the handover, protesters will be allowed to gather at two sites.

A handful of demonstrators moved into position on Sunday evening with banners calling for the release of Chinese dissidents.

And Martin Lee, one of Hong Kong's most outspoken democrats, said that Beijing's dismantling of Hong Kong's democratically elected Legislative Council (known as LegCo) would not go unprotested.

SOUNDBITE: (Cantonese)
\"If we are not let in at midnight on the 1st to the balcony of the LEGCO (Legislative Council) building to make our statement, we plan to bring our own ladder to go up there.\"
SUPER CAPTION: Martin Lee, Democratic Party

And, on the streets of Hong Kong, a few token pro-democracy banners: which many here are hoping will not be the final flutter of democracy in Hong Kong.

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