Hong Kong was leased from China.
The lease was up.
China did not renew the lease
I have not posted in some time, and am currently remembering all html markups
The UK owned Hong Kong, but purchased a lease on the "New Territories". When the lease came up the UK declined to renew and as they would have been pushed back to the Hong Kong Island(s) declined to continue to hold on to Hong Kong as well. When releasing Hong Kong to PRC, they signed an agreement with the PRC that they would respect the "One China, Two Systems" approach signed into the agreement for 50 years and also provide the Hong Kong people "Self Determination" or general Democratic rights.
“Hong Kong was leased from China.
The lease was up.
China did not renew the lease”
Sorry. Wrong.
Commonly held but mistaken belief.