Doc A ) The passage highlights the enduring British influence and presence in Hong

Kong even after its handover to mainland China. Despite the transfer of
sovereignty, several aspects of British heritage remain prominent in Hong Kong,
including street names, traffic rules, public transportation, language usage
(English newspapers, TV, radio), and cultural practices (noon-day gun firing). This
indicates a continued connection between the UK and Hong Kong, manifested through
cultural, linguistic, and institutional ties.

The Opium Wars were a series of conflicts between China and Western powers,
primarily Britain, during the 19th century.

The First Opium War broke out when China tried to suppress the illegal opium trade,
creating a military response from Britain. The war ended with the Treaty of Nanking
in 1842, imposing unequal conditions on China, including the cession of Hong Kong,
the opening of ports to foreign trade, and the payment of reparations. This treaty
is often seen as a symbol of China's weakness in the face of Western aggression.

The second conflict between China and this Time Britain and France was started by
the Arrow Incident where a British ship was seized by China. This resulted in
British and French military campaigns against China, leading to the occupation of
Beijing. The Treaties of Tianjin in 1858 and Beijing in 1860 strengthened Western
influence in China, opened more ports to trade, legalized the opium trade, and
granted extraterritorial rights to Western powers.