h ose . ▁Econom ically , ▁it ▁rein vent ed ▁itself ▁from ▁a ▁manufact uring ▁base ▁into ▁a ▁financial ▁centre . ▁ ▁Background ▁ ▁Political ▁tal ks ▁about ▁the ▁Second ▁Convention ▁of ▁P ek ing ▁res ur fac ed ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 7 0 s . ▁The ▁New ▁Territ ories ▁land ▁le ase ▁agreement ▁would ▁end ▁within ▁ 2 7 ▁years ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 . ▁Mac Le h ose ▁began ▁visit ing ▁Be ij ing ▁to ▁talk ▁about ▁the ▁future ▁of ▁Hong ▁Kong ▁with ▁P RC ▁leaders . ▁ ▁The ▁British ▁and ▁the ▁P RC ▁govern ments ▁began ▁a ▁long ▁neg ot iation ▁process ▁that ▁would ▁ultimately ▁lead ▁to ▁the ▁Hand over ▁of ▁Hong ▁Kong ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 . ▁ ▁Political ▁and ▁social ▁development ▁Under ▁Sir ▁Murray ▁Mac Le h ose , ▁ 2 5 th ▁Governor ▁of ▁Hong ▁Kong ▁( 1 9 7 1 – 8 2 ), ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁re forms ▁improved ▁public ▁services , ▁the ▁environment , ▁housing , ▁w elf are , ▁education ▁and ▁infrastr ucture . ▁Mac Le h ose ▁was ▁the ▁longest - ser ving ▁governor ▁and , ▁by ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁his ▁ten ure , ▁had ▁become ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁popular ▁and ▁well - known ▁figures ▁in ▁the ▁Crown ▁Col ony . ▁Mac Le h ose ▁laid ▁the ▁foundation ▁for ▁Hong ▁Kong ▁to ▁establish ▁itself ▁as ▁a ▁global ▁city ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s ▁and ▁early ▁ 1 9 9 0 s . ▁