Resources Extracted by the British Empire from Hong Kong

Commodities and Labor Taken from Colonial Hong Kong

During its colonial rule (1841–1997), the British Empire extracted a range of natural resources, manufactured goods, and labor from Hong Kong and its hinterland.

Natural Resources and Agricultural Products

• Tea
• Opium (traded heavily in the 19th century)
• Cotton
• Rice
• Silk

Manufactured Goods

• Textiles
• Porcelain
• Furniture
• Metalware
• Jewelry

Labor

Chinese workers were recruited—often under coercive contracts—to labor in British plantations, mines, and factories across the empire, including in Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, and Africa.

Hong Kong's deep harbor and strategic location made it a primary entrepôt for moving these resources into British global trade networks.