It may not have the spice of Prince Charles' recollections of the handover, but a new book on former president Jiang Zemin reveals a battle of the bands at the historic ceremony - over a mere two seconds.
The book also reveals the diplomatic role Chek Lap Kok airport played in the wake of the Tiananmen Square crackdown.
Released yesterday, For a Better World: Jiang Zemin's Overseas Visits is a chronicle of the former leader's diplomatic career. It provides many details about the handover ceremony on July 1, 1997, and photographs recording the event that ended British rule of Hong Kong.
The book says Mr Jiang personally supported the construction of Chek Lap Kok, seeing the project as a good opportunity for Beijing to be involved in Hong Kong affairs in the run-up to the handover. He also saw Sino-British co-operation over construction of the airport as a diplomatic coup against attempts by the US-led western alliance to isolate Beijing after the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown.
The Sino-British agreement on the airport resulted in a visit by then British prime minister John Major to Beijing in September 1989, becoming the first western leader to visit the mainland after the June 4 crackdown, the book says.
It also details how Beijing rejected a request from London for a British military band to play the country's national anthem up until the last second before midnight on June 30, 1997. Beijing was concerned this might prevent the People's Liberation Army band from playing the Chinese national anthem as July 1 started.
