England had abolished slavery in 1833. 

England occupied Hong Kong in 1842 yet slavery was still being practiced. It wasn’t until 1922  Churchill pledged that the Mui Tsai system in Hong Kong will be abolished within one year.  Churchill’s promise did not stop the Mui Tsai system but did decrease it. Fortunately some elite families created a society for the protection of Mui Tsais  and petitioned the government for minimal intervention. Another group called ‘ anti Mui Tsai society’ consisted mainly of middle class professionals that stated that the Mui Tsai was a form of slavery and not charity ( most young girls that were Mui Tsais were sold by their families. Usually because they didn’t have enough money or couldn’t care for their children).  A few years later a letter was published in the Manchester Guardian that said that Churchill’s promise was not upheld. This caused international outrage and scrutiny and political pressure from the British public’s opinion,  the Hong Kong government enacted the Female Domestic Service Ordinance in the same year. 

Before 1930 all mui tsais had to be registered (making the trade of Mui Tsais legal) so the government checked that all Mui Tsais are treated well and have their wages paid. Unfortunately the trade continued after it was made illegal, families were adopting daughters, the government was concerned that Mui Tsais were just given a different name. After World War II the Protection of Children and Juveniles Ordinance was enacted putting all adopted girls under the guardianship of the Director of Social Welfare. By then no Mui Tsais were ‘legal’ as all previously registered girls should have reached marriageable age.