Chinese Diplomat, Lu Ping passes away

The Chinese diplomat, Lu Ping, who oversaw Hong Kong transition from British to Chinese sovereignty in the year 1997 passed away at the age of 87 on sunday 3rd May 2015. He was known for his hard-line stance for this transition and he was China’s Chief negotiator in the years before the handover.

Lu Ping called Hong kong’s last British Governor Chris Pattern ‘ a sinner for 1000 years’ for making the territory elections more democratic or his unilateral electoral reform proposals.

• Lu Ping helped in drafting  of Hong Kong’s mini constitution.
• He was appointed s Director of the Hong Kong and Maccau Affairs Office[HKMAO] In 1990 and retired in 1997.
• Hong Kong was leased for 99 years to British empire by China, after it  lost to Britishers in the first opium war.
• Hong Kong island  Kowloon penninsula became a British colony.
• It was transferred to China on 30th June 1997.
• Though the cause for his death was not known but its said that he had cancer.
• His phenomenal understanding of the details of Hong Kong institutions made it possible for him to play major role in drafting of Joint Declaration in 1984.
• Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung expressed his condolences over Lu’s death.

About Lu Ping

• Lu Ping was chinese diplomat and politician.
• He was born on 27th September in Shangai,China.
• He  joined HKMAO IN 1978.
• He worked relentlessly to maintain Hong Kong’s stability and prosperity .
• Even after his retirement he kept track of his public pulse and economic health by reading 8 or  local papers.
• In a book published in 2009, Mr Lu Ping revealed that he had surgery due to gastric cancer in 1995.

About Opium War

• It is also known as First Opium War.
• The war was fought between China and Britain over conflicting viewpoints on diplomatic relations, trade etc.
• The war started on 18th March 1839 and ended on 29th August 1842.
• The war took place in China, andbritain won the war.
• As a result Hong Kong was ceded to Britain.