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The New Territories were leased for 99 years in the 1898 Second Convention of Peking. Hong Kong Island was ceded in perpetuity in the 1842 Treaty of Nanking. Kowloon, except for the walled city, and Stonecutter's Island, were ceded in perpetuity in the 1860 Convention of Peking, Article 6.

> Kowloon, except for the walled city

I thought Kowloon was the walled city.

Nope. The Opium wars and the subsequent status of the Kowloon Walled City are really cool stories. Funny to think that the fortunes of today's Hong Kong got rich selling drug.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kowloon_Walled_City

Yes. And it was given back at the end of that period.

It's a bit weird to lease a city but it worked out fine.

They were like, damn turns out 99 years isn't eternity after all. Well - just add another 9 to this contract and we'll be good to go.