7 posts tagged “hong kong”
Just photos today:
More @ http://www.flickr.com/happymichael
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
With seven days to go, I will keep blogging about my trips to Provence every day, with a little bit of information and my opinion about both China and the 2008 Olympics!
I received an email yesterday from one of the readers and he wants to know more about how Hong Kong works in China, so here it is:
Hong Kong became part of the United Kingdom since 1842, after winning the Opium War ( Opium was a popular drug at the time and it is imported from the UK, and even the "queen" was addicted to it. One of the Chinese officials in Hong Kong burnt the Opium coming from the UK, so the war started.) The treaty lasts for 100 years. (it is a bit more complicated that..)
Since then, world war started and many Chinese came down for protection, hoping that the UK can defend Japan, but unfortunately not.
Margaret Thatcher, representing the UK, started the meetings in 1984 about Hong Kong's future after 1997, when the treaty ends. The "Joint Declaration of the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the People's Republic of China on the Question of Hong Kong" or "Sino-British Joint Declaration" in short, was signed in 1985.
In the treaty, "One Country, Two Systems" was introduced to reduce the change Hong Kong needs to face. This basically means that Chinese Communist system will not be applied in Hong Kong, and Hong Kong just carry on as it is. The PRC has promised that Hong Kong's capitalist system and its way of life would remain unchanged for a period of 50 years. (but still no one knows will happen after then..) Being a "Special Administrative Region", the PRC Government is responsible for the territory's defence and foreign affairs, while Hong Kong maintains its own legal system, police force, monetary system, customs policy, immigration policy, and delegates to international organisations and events. That means, in the coming Olympic Games in seven days, there will be teams representing "China", "Hong Kong", "Macau" and "Chinese Taipei" (<--That's because of complicated history, again.), although they are technically the same country.
On 1st July 1997, Hong Kong was handed over to China. After 10 years of Chinese rule, I don't think there are great changes in Hong Kong, except the fact that there are more and more Chinese tourist - which is one of the policies to help Hong Kong get its economy back on after SARS in 2003.
It is Wednesday today and so, it is time for "the best bit of the web"!!
Today, it is a little game which I think is quite fun if you are bored and tired when you are revising for your exams!! If there is no further changes to the torch relay, the Olympic Torch should arrive at this "Asia's World City" on 2nd May. The Hong Kong government created this game and it is called "On-the-Net Torchbearer", which means, anyone could be a torchbearer in Hong Kong if they have a computer and internet connection!!!
Well, remember the post I said going to Starbucks in the UK?? Today, I went to Starbucks in Hong Kong!!
I went outside with Aaron and we had coffee and had a nice chat... There isn't much differences between these Starbucks although it is around 6000 miles apart from each other!!
*********************************************************************
Copyright info of the first picture:
The first picture is taken by Ian Muttoo and is licensed to the site according to the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic. You can access to the picture here.
*********************************************************************
Hi everyone again! There is a new theme in iGoogle which just comes up last week, and yes, it is the Hong Kong theme!!
And I'm actually quite happy of this because this is the first theme Google has done on cities. And surprisingly, the buildings are not actually in the same place as the reality!!
What is Wi-Fi??
Wi-Fi, or 'wireless fidelity', allows the connection of Wi-Fi enabled mobile devices such as notebook computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and mobile phones to the Internet via a wireless network at a designated place.
Wi-fi in Hong Kong
The most popular company providing communication services - PCCW, has set up over 3,000 hotspots all around Hong Kong. They are all now avaliable in all telephone box and convenience store. To enjoy these service, we only have to pay $98 (around 6 pounds) monthly. Also, they provide cheap price plan for connection between Wi-Fi, HSDPA and 3G.
What can I do if I want to go on internet free??
There will be a good solution soon. The Hong Kong government will be providing free Wi-Fi Hotspots in more than 350 government buildings, including markets, sports complex, libraries and government offices. The government is trying out the service now in Kowloon Park. They have installed filters and softwares to band hacking and P2P. Also, they are planning to block IM software as they have found some of the users have put up their personal details through these softwares.
Furthur info:
PCCW Wifi - http://www.pccwwifi.com/eng/index.htm?ds=1
Netvigator Everywhere: http://www.netvigatoreverywhere.com/index_e.html
Wi-Fi Facilities at Government Premises:http://www.gov.hk/en/residents/communication/publicit/itfacilities/wifi/index.htm
The first typhoon this year is going to affect Hong Kong tomorrow!! I always like typhoons as it brings rain, wind and a temperature drop..
Well, this is not really a typhoon, according to the Hong Kong Observatory. This is a severe tropical storm, called "PABUK". As the storm has entered the 800m area around Hong Kong, the "standby" signal number 1 is in force now, and the observatory may consider to issue the no.3 signal.
It doesn't really affect me anyway, as I can go to the supermarket and get everything I need through a tunnel to a shopping mall nearby...
Where do you consider home? Is it the place you grew up; the place you're currently living? Why is it home?
Submitted by uncagedbird.
I consider my home as Hong Kong. It's because this is the place I grew up, the place where I find things cheap, the place where I love most, the place where I'm proud of, the place where everywhere get air-conditioning (except on the street, of course), etc....
