It is twenty-five years since the handover of Hong Kong from British to Chinese rule in 1997, when Beijing promised that Hong Kongers’ freedoms would be protected for 50 years. Katie Stallard speaks to Lord Patten, the last British governor of the territory from 1992-1997, about his new book, The Hong Kong Diaries.
They discuss his dealings with the Chinese Communist Party, the failure to foresee Beijing’s crackdown on civil liberties in Hong Kong and his belief that Hong Kong might change China more than China would change Hong Kong. Also, the folly of the so-called “Golden Era” of UK-China relations under David Cameron, and what he really thinks of Boris Johnson.
If you have a You Ask Us question for the international team, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk.
Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer.
Further reading:
Hong Kong’s authoritarian future is already here.
China doesn’t just want to be part of the global order – it wants to shape it.
How to listen to the World Review podcast
1. In your browser
You can use the player above to listen in your browser right now. The World Review podcast publishes on Monday and Thursdays. All episodes are published to newstatesman.com/podcasts on the day of release.
2. In a podcast app
World Review is available on all major podcast apps including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Acast, Google Podcasts, and more. Search “World Review” in your favourite podcast app, and subscribe or follow to make sure you receive episodes as soon as they publish. While you’re there, please leave a review for the podcast – it helps others find the show, which in turn makes it possible for us to keep making it.
3. On your smart speaker
If you have an Amazon Echo, Google Home or Apple HomePod smart speaker, ask it to “play the latest episode of World Review”. The same command also works with virtual assistants on mobile devices.
Content from our partners
Related
