Beijing should end impasse over HK chief's election

TWENTY years ago, Hong Kong was handed over to China by Britain, its colonial master for 156 years. The decision was made by China's diminutive but doughty leader Deng Xiaoping and the reputedly unbending "Iron Lady" Margaret Thatcher had little choice but to acquiesce.

The thinking was that, with the whole world watching, China would live up to its treaty commitments and, under the "one country, two systems" policy, allow Hong Kong a high degree of autonomy.

At the time, Hong Kong had a lot going for it. It had a highly successful economy, considered one of the "four tigers" of Asia, along with Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan. China, by comparison, was still poor with the majority of its people living in the countryside.