Hong Kong: What's Changed, What Hasn't

What Hasn't Changed

Civil Rights

Many observers assumed that Beijing would insure that Hong Kong's governing Legislative Council hew closely to its wishes. But pro-democracy legislators, including passionate gadflies like "Longhair" Leung Kwok-hung, remain a vocal presence in Hong Kong politics. And while some worried that a return to Chinese rule would presage a crackdown on Hong Kong's civil liberties — particularly freedoms of speech and association — it remains a far freer place to speak and publish than the mainland.

• Hong Kong, China
• Timeline: Hong Kong, 1997-2007