The Chinese government leases Hong Kong's New Territories to the United Kingdom for 99 years. The lease was signed as part of the Convention for the Extension of Hong Kong Territory, granting Britain control over the mainland area north of Kowloon and numerous islands, which now make up the majority of Hong Kong, including the Island of Hong Kong which had been under British control since 1841.
The new 99 year lease was a consequence of China's weakened position after the First Sino-Japanese War. The lease expired in 1997, when Hong Kong was returned to China under the principle of "one country, two systems".
