What's made the New Year headlines since 1997, when Hong Kong was preparing to be returned to Chinese rule
Post's January 1 reports and pictures chart the highs and lows of the past 20 years
Twenty years ago, Hong Kong was beginning the most fateful 12 months in its modern history, as its handover from Britain to China loomed. In the two decades since, the New Year crowds have put Y2K fears, the horrors of 2003, the Asian tsunami, and economic and terrorism worries – even the failure of the Noonday Gun – behind them as they have celebrated in true Hong Kong style. Here is how the South China Morning Post reported each and every one of those New Years.
1997 starts with a bang and memory of a tragedy
Fireworks spectacular sees milestone year in with a bang
The biggest year in Hong Kong's short history was marked with its biggest fusillade of fireworks . . . 22,000 rounds marking the arrival of 1997.
An estimated 220,000 New Year revellers swarmed the beaches of Tuen Mun for the spectacular $2.5 million display.
But fears of the 1993 New Year Lan Kwai Fong tragedy quickly came to mind as police found it impossible to control the huge New Territories crowd.
When the 23-minute display ended, thousands of people became angry at not being able to get home due to inadequate transport.