Decolonisation in the age of globalisation: Britain, China, and Hong Kong, 1979-89 [Hardcover]

In the 1980s, Britain actively engaged with China in order to promote globalisation and manage Hong Kongs decolonisation. Influenced by neoliberalism, Margaret Thatcher saw Britain as a global trading nation, which was well placed to serve Chinas reform. During the negotiations over Hong Kongs future, British diplomats aimed to educate the Chinese in free-market capitalism. Nevertheless, Deng Xiaoping held an alternative vision of globalisation, one that privileged sovereignty and socialism over market liberalism and democracy. By drawing extensively upon the declassified British archives along with Chinese sources, this book explores how Britain and China negotiated for Hong Kongs future, and how Anglo-Chinese relations flourished after 1984 but suffered a setback as a result of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. This original study argues that Thatcher was a pragmatic neoliberal, and the British diplomacy of educating China yielded mixed results.GBDrawing extensively on the declassified British archives and Chinese sources, this book explores how Britain and China negotiated for Hong Kongs future, and how Anglo-Chinese relations flourished after 1984. This original study argues that Thatcher was a pragmatic neoliberal, and the British diplomacy of educating China yielded mixed results.Chi-kwan Mark is Senior Lecturer in International History at Royal Holloway, University of London

In the 1980s, Britain actively engaged with China in order to promote globalisation and manage Hong Kongs decolonisation. Influenced by neoliberalism, Margaret Thatcher saw Britain as a global trading nation, which was well placed to serve Chinas economic reform. With her conviction in free-market capitalism, Thatcher was eager to extend British rule in Hong Kong beyond 1997. During the 1982-84 negotiations, British diplomats aimed to educate China about how capitalist Hong Kong worked. Nevertheless, Deng Xiaoping held an alternative vision of globalisation, one that prilS¶