As Hong Kong marked the 20th anniversary of the former British colony’s return to China, analysts around the world weighed in on the milestone.

‘Now as then, there is trepidation. In his first visit as Chinese leader, Xi Jinping has overseen a military parade — a reminder of Beijing’s might — and warned of ‘new challenges’ to the ‘one country, two systems’ framework which allows a high degree of autonomy for the region. On Friday, the foreign ministry described the Joint Declaration, the Sino-British treaty on those arrangements, as a historical document which no longer had practical significance,” said the Guardian in an editorial.

“Britain’s seizure of Hong Kong is a key part of China’s narrative of a century of humiliation by imperialist foreign powers, ended by the Communist party’s triumph. (Its belief that the West is determined to rain on its parade will be reinforced by the US announcements of sanctions on a Chinese bank linked to North Korea and arms sales to Taiwan just as Mr Xi arrived in the region for the anniversary celebrations),” the paper said. Asking whether Beijing will now pause or simply press on, the paper said: “The weekend’s inauguration of a new chief executive could have allowed it to strike a new note. But Carrie Lam’s record as second-in-command does not suggest a change is coming and her predecessors have acted as the mainland’s representative in Hong Kong — rather than, as is needed, Hong Kong’s ambassador to Beijing. More tensions lie ahead: judgements are pending in the attempted disqualification of youthful pro-democracy lawmakers from the legislative council over their oath-taking. But Beijing’s approach to the Joint Declaration should be of interest beyond the region too: it sends a message about its approach to international agreements. If it dismisses this treaty lightly, why should it be expected to abide by others?”

The New York Times examined the impact of Hong Kong under the former British rule and said: “The city has paid a price for embracing more democracy. The Hong Kong government has become less efficient and more divided than in the colonial era. An anti-business, anti-development and anti-mainland China ideology permeates debates in the legislature, which has become fractious and dysfunctional. It’s hard to make the case that more democratic freedom has been a net gain for the city’s more than seven million residents.”

Noting that the best bet lies “in nurturing a harmonious and supportive relationship with mainland China,” the paper said: “It’s encouraging that some moderate democrats appear to have shifted their strategy by suggesting a more open dialogue with the central leadership. Several moderate democrats reportedly plan to attend a dinner with Xi this week. Beijing, however, would be wrong to ignore Hong Kong’s democracy movement. The fringe is becoming more extreme, with increasing calls in recent years for outright independence, a move that a majority of Hong Kongers reject. Most young people are unhappy with the political situation, and the nation’s leaders could find themselves with a much bigger challenge down the line.”

Commenting on the occasion, China’s People’s Daily said: “Since Hong Kong returned to the motherland in 1997, the principle has been the best institutional arrangement for prosperity and stability. ‘One country, two systems’ in Hong Kong has proven successful over the past 20 years and needs to be continued in the interest of the region’s 7 million people. The Basic Law of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) specifies the guidelines of ‘one country, two systems’ and ‘Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong’ with a high degree of autonomy. The previous economic and social systems of Hong Kong and the way of life have remained unchanged, and most laws continue to apply.”Pointing out that “Hong Kong needs to adjust itself,” the daily offered its advice on how to do it: “Such adjustments must be achieved with the fundamental principle of ‘one country, two systems’ upheld. It is the common wish of all of Hong Kong’s people that progress which benefits incomes, prosperity, stability, national sovereignty and national security and development will be made in the region’s political system. There is no established blueprint for “one country, two systems,” and new situations and problems are inevitable going forward.”