Pro-Beijing supporters hold Chinese and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region flags to mark the 28th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to Chinese rule in Hong Kong, Tuesday, July 1, 2025. - AP
HONG KONG: Hong Kong leader John Lee said on Tuesday (July 1) the city has become safer and more competitive as it marks its 28th year under Chinese rule, although critics including the EU decried the use of a "repressive" security law.
The former British colony was handed over to China in 1997 under a "One Country, Two Systems" governance model, which guaranteed key freedoms and a high degree of autonomy not enjoyed on the mainland.
