The flag of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is red with a
stylized, white, five-petal bauhinia blakeana flower in the
center. The red is the same as the flag of the People's Republic of China.
To choose the flag for the new Special Administrative Region, a contest was held among Hong Kongers and a panel of political
figures were nominated as judges. However, the government of the People's Republic of China objected to the chosen design. Subsequently, the winning entry of a
national design contest submitted by Xiao Hong, a professor of arts and crafts from the Henan University, China, was adopted with
further minor modifications.
The color red and the five stars symbolises the "one country" while the two colors symbolises the so called "two system" part
of One country two systems. The bauhinia blakeana
flower is a symbol of Hong Kong even before the Communist takeover.
The former colonial flag was used from 27 July 1959 to 30 June 1997. It was a
blue ensign with the Hong Kong coat of arms on a white disk centered on the
outer half of the flag. The coat of arms contained a shield (bearing two junks below a naval crown) held by a lion (representing
the UK) and a dragon (representing China) with another lion above the shield and a banner bearing the words "HONG KONG" below the
shield. The 1876 design had a different badge, with a "local scene" instead of the Hong Kong coat of arms.
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