Three Topics Of Research On The Free Port Of Hong Kong In Modern Times (1912-1936

This paper selects the political environment and the mode of transportation,two elements of the times that affected the development of Hong Kong’s free port during the Republic of China,and explores the multi-dimensional interaction between the free port policy and Hong Kong’s urban modernization during this period,hoping to explore the development path and colonial background of Hong Kong’s free port from 1912 to 1937.The labor movement represented by the provincial and Hong Kong strikes has made the relationship between the two governments extremely tense,and trade exchanges have almost fallen to freezing point.The colonial nature of the Hong Kong Free Port has been fully revealed,which is a challenge and impact brought to the Hong Kong Free Port by the political environment;on the other hand During this period,in order to save itself,the Hong Kong Free Port began to expand trade with overseas markets such as Southeast Asia,and gradually got rid of its over-reliance on trade with Chinese mainland.This is the development opportunity brought by the political environment for the Hong Kong Free Port.At the same time,the innovation of transportation mode has also injected new vitality into the development of the free port of Hong Kong.In 1912,railway transportation represented by the Canton-Kowloon Railway entered the stage of history and began to break the long-term single transportation situation of traditional water transportation in Hong Kong.After the Guangzhou-Kowloon Railway was put into operation,the trade traffic volume increased year by year.Until 1937,it was successfully connected to the mainland railway network after it was integrated with the Guangdong-Hanzhou Railway.At the same time,the British Hong Kong authorities carried out urban construction in Hong Kong according to the characteristics of the port.During this period,they have developed rapidly and formed a unique "Hong Kong model" and also deeply imprinted the colonial background in the modern development of the Hong Kong Free Port,which had an impact on the traditional Chinese society.