Hong Kong
Hong Kong is a major spaceport city in the Chinese People's Federation, with a population of over 14 million people. It is a part of the Zhusanjiao Megacity, but its unique history sets it apart culturally.
Contents
Inhabitants
Organizations
History
Imperial China
Early on, the area that would one day become Hong Kong was fairly unremarkable. While international trade flourished in Guangzhou, further up the river delta, the Hong Kong area was quiet, home only to a few small villages that relied on salt production or pearl fishing. During the Yuan Dynasty the area's population increased greatly as refugees fled south to avoid Mongol rule. The Ming and Qing Dynasties the region saw much conflict, repelling a Portuguese invasion and suffering internal conflict as much of the population was expelled.
British Rule
Hong Kong was taken from China by the British Empire during the First Opium War. The population of the area grew quickly and during the Second Opium War the land area of the colony was further expanded. During British rule Hong Kong became a major center for trade, but there was a great deal of segregation. Regardless, the area attracted all sorts of people, its status as 'other' than the rest of China making it a haven for anyone from political dissidents and refugees to organized crime and secret societies. The Triads flourished in the bustling freeport, engaging in all sorts of illegal activities - Drug trafficking, prostitution, protection rackets, counter-fitting... there was little they were not involved in. During World War II, which remains the largest conflict that Earth has ever seen to this day, Hong Kong was occupied by the Imperial Japanese Army, suffering atrocities ranging from massacres to mass starvation. Hong Kong's population recovered quickly after the end of the war, with an influx of migrants looking to get away from the new rule of the Communist Party. Business was booming in the 20th century, both legal and otherwise. The city developed in a very different direction both culturally and economically to the country it had once been a part of.
One Country, Two Systems
By the turn of the millennium the British Empire was loosening its grip on the last of its holdings, and Hong Kong was one of them. China was eager to reclaim the center of commerce and industry that the city had become. But Hong Kong, or most of it, at least, was not so eager to reunite with the mainland. A compromise was reached. Hong Kong would become a part of China, but it would be allowed to retain its own ways and laws. At least for a time. The issue of reunification was pushed ahead, and for 50 years Hong Kong existed in China, but still apart from it. New centers of commerce and industry had risen in China, Zhusanjiao chief among them. As the years went by the influence of the Party increased in Hong Kong, and the border started to fade. There was much unrest in these times, and even pushes for true independence, free of both China and Britain.
The Rise of the Federation
The 2050s marked the early stages of the formation of what would become known as the Chinese People's Federation. The acquisition of nearby territory through diplomacy, and on occasion, coercion, led to the CPF. The final stages of Hong Kong's integration into China occurred during this time. There would no longer be two systems. Economically, there was no need. China's own policies had changed a great deal over the years to allow for the rise of powerhouses of industry and trade. Culturally, little care was given. As had happened in Guangzhou before it, Mandarin was instated as the mandatory language of the government, the education system and the media. Freedom of speech was restricted, and the media reigned in. Those that would not conform were pushed to the edges. Out or down.
The Megalopolis
Hong Kong's integration into China continued for several decades, as the world changed, and expanded. Unrest always remained, in many different forms, with many different goals. Some held onto dreams of independence, but most fought for smaller causes. Hong Kong's integration into China also meant the inevitably merging into the massive, sprawling Zhusanjiao Megacity. One of Earth's great megalopolises, centered around the factories of Guangzhou, without equal throughout Asia. Inequality grew during this time, as it did in most places on Earth. Millions lived in poverty even as lavish spires and grand monuments continued to rise up around them. Violent weather wracked the city in these years, a result of the unstable climate that has plagued Earth since the 21st century.
The Triads
Locations
Lantau Island
Lantau Island sits to the west of Hong Kong proper, connected to the rest of the city by a series of bridges. Another, massive bridge stretches westward across the bay, connecting to Macau and the rest of the megacity. Most of the island is part of a massive tourist resort, but the reclaimed land to the north houses the Hong Kong International Airport. Far from a relic of the past, the airport is a nexus for planetary travel.
Hei Ling Chau Island
Stonecutters Island
Hong Kong Island
Southern District
The Admiralty
Central Business District
- Central Government Complex
- Systems Alliance Regional Headquarters
- Court of Final Appeal
- Heyuan Genomics Building
- Bank of China Tower
- International Finance Center
- The New Center
- The Landmark Complex
- Victoria Prison
- Lan Kwai Fong
- Sun Tower
- Statue Square
- Hong Kong Park
- Synthetics Insights Center
- Eldfell-Ashland Spire
