ABSTRACT
In the context of Asia-Pacific regional security, the 1997 Hong Kong transition to Chinese rule raises at least three sets of questions:
What is the international status of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR)? What roles can it play? How will other countries in the region receive and regard it?
Will Hong Kong's return to China lead to the development of a Greater China? Will it affect Beijing's worldview? Is the perception of a China threat among its neighbors, if any, likely to increase or decrease?
What impact will the Hong Kong transition have on the development of the Asia-Pacific region? Will it bring faster and healthier economic growth? Will it significantly alter the balance of power or affect the peace and stability of the region in any way?
