1995 Hong Kong Plebiscite

A plebiscite was held in the Dominion of Hong Kong, Special Territory of Macau and respective cities of Kowloon, Victoria and in the New Territories on 18 September 1995, asking citizens if Hong Kong should become a British-affiliated Commonwealth like Australia and New Zealand or be part of the People's Republic of China.

Background
On 11 March 1985, China asked the United Kingdom to issue a referendum in Hong Kong, where citizens would be asked if to stay in the British sphere or to join China. The request was made according to the Convention for the Extension of Hong Kong, which stated that the British Empire would take control of Hong Kong for 99 years, and that "residents would choose if to remain as a part of the first part permanently, or joining the second part, the Qing Empire (now China) after the lend period expired". The projected plebiscite to determine the future of Hong Kong was to be made no later than January 1996, and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was initially skeptical about ordering to schedule a referendum, with the fear that Hong Kong might be lost forever if it was to fail, and would hurt national prestige.

On 15 June 1986, the Legislative Council approved with a 55-52 majority a document named "General Hong Kong Framework" which would grant more autonomy regarding parliamentary, institutional and constitutional procedures, and also contained a section regarding the plebiscite that was set to be scheduled on Autumn 1995, while the Royal Electoral Agency would choose the specific date. On 28 June, the REA announced the referendum would be issued on September 18, 1995.

The political landscape in Hong Kong was in continuing evolution; pro-British lists that have been existing since 1957 have formed the "Union" alliance, and it's members created two specific parties, the Democratic and Conservative Unionist ones, as separate entities. In the 1988 Legislative Election, the Union saw a crushing victory over pro-Chinese lists. Since January 1, 1990, the General Hong Kong Framework came into effect and expanded the Legislative Council, re-naming it "House of Representatives". Former governor David Crosbie contested the first experimental General Election in 1991, leading the pro-British pole into victory, and formed a government shortly after.

Parties positions
The Conservative and Unionist Party, initially the original party branch of Hong Kong, then the union of the Democratic and Conservative ones, led by David Crosbie, strongly supported to vote positively in the referendum, stating that if Hong Kong joined China, it would lose all autonomy and citizens oppressed by an authoritarian boot.

The then Social Platform, which represented left-wing Chinese, remained neutral on the matter, but then officially urged citizens to vote against the referendum, calling ethnic Chinese to "rejoin their brothers".

Aftermath and reactions
First Minister David Crosbie was said to be very satisfied by the result of the plebiscite, stating that "democracy and rule of law have been saved against the evil Chinese dictatorship". Crosbie then began formal proceedings for Hong Kong to apply in order to become an autonomous-grade Commonwealth like Australia, request which was approved and ratified under the Treaty of Kolwoon on 30 December 1995, in effect from 1996.

Prime Minister John Major said to be satisfied of the result, and looked forward to cooperate with Hong Kong. The same reactions came from Australia, New Zealand and overseas territories. The United States, along with the United Kingdom, were the first to recognize Hong Kong as an independent commonwealth.

The People's Republic of China announced that an extensive fraud took place, and that it would not recognize the results. This sparked tension between the parties which would last in the 1996 Hong Kong - China Crisis.