The name of the territory, first spelled “He-Ong-Kong” (“fragrant harbor” or “incense harbor”) in 1780, originally referred to a small inlet between Aberdeen Island and the southern coast of Hong Kong Island. But, Sir John Davis (the second colonial governor) offered an alternative origin, saying that the name derived from “Hoong-keang” (“red torrent”), reflecting the color of soil over which a waterfall on the island flowed. Hong Kong became a colony of the British Empire at the end of the First Opium War in 1842. Sovereignty over the territory was returned to China in 1997. As a special administrative region, Hong Kong maintains governing and economic systems that are separate from those of mainland China. Its people tend to identify as Hongkongers rather than Chinese. Today, Hong Kong has become one of the world’s most significant financial centers and commercial ports and hosts the largest concentration of ultra-high-net-worth individuals of any city in the world. The city has the largest number of skyscrapers in the world and one of the highest life expectancies in the world. Join us and enjoy the Asian City.