England's lease on Hong Kong expired on July 1, 1997. This marked the end of over 150 years of British rule over the territory, which began with the signing of the Treaty of Nanking in 1842 following the First Opium War. The lease was extended in 1898 with the signing of the Second Convention of Peking, which granted Britain a 99-year lease on the New Territories, including the Kowloon Peninsula.

Leading up to the expiration of the lease, negotiations took place between Britain and China to determine the future of Hong Kong. The result was the Sino-British Joint Declaration, signed in 1984, which outlined the "one country, two systems" principle under which Hong Kong would be governed after the handover. This agreement ensured that Hong Kong would retain its capitalist economic system and legal system for 50 years after the handover.

On July 1, 1997, Hong Kong was officially handed back to China in a ceremony attended by dignitaries from both countries. The handover marked the beginning of the "one country, two systems" arrangement, which has been in place since then.

Since the handover, there have been concerns about the erosion of Hong Kong's autonomy and the preservation of its unique way of life. In recent years, there have been widespread protests in Hong Kong over issues such as electoral reform, freedom of speech, and police brutality. These protests have highlighted the challenges faced by Hong Kong as it navigates its relationship with China.

For more information on the history of Hong Kong and the expiration of England's lease, you can visit the following websites:

• https://www.britannica.com/place/Hong-Kong/History
• https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-48710426

Overall, the expiration of England's lease on Hong Kong in 1997 marked a significant moment in the history of the territory, as it transitioned from British colonial rule to Chinese sovereignty.

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