India, June 12 -- When the United Kingdom surrendered control of Hong Kong to the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 1997, it was a momentous occasion with China assuring the world that as part of regaining control of the island city, it would respect legal and cultural differences. The process of 'Sinafication', as China absorbed the highly westernised entity into its legal and administrative processes, would be gradual. That was apparent in the title of Hong Kong as a Special Administrative Region. It retained its unique British-style legal system, people still drove on the left side of the road and it had an independent immigration system and currency. While Hong Kong was undeniably Chinese, it participated separately in international...