Final answer:
Advances in communication technology have deepened the connection between Hong Kong and China, enhancing trade and integration. Simultaneously, these technologies have also enabled the spread of political ideas, occasionally increasing tensions due to attempts to control information flows.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that best explains how advances in communication technology have affected Hong Kong's relationship with China is that advances in communication technology have deepened the connection between Hong Kong and China. The enhanced technologies such as the internet and smart phones have made information sharing and business operations more integrated. This connectivity has enabled China to use Hong Kong as a major trade corridor, with a significant proportion of China's imports and exports flowing through Hong Kong's port. However, the same technologies have also allowed for the spread of ideas and dissent against the wishes of those in power, contributing at times to increased tensions. The openness to global culture and trade has been instrumental in China's rapid economic growth and has been part of the complex interdependence shaping current international relations.
Advances in communication not only facilitate commerce and trade but also play a role in the dissemination of political ideas, which can lead to challenges in relations between regions such as Hong Kong and China. Technologies like the internet allow for rapid communication that can both unite and create tensions within societies, and China's attempts to control this flow of information can lead to conflicts of interest with Hong Kong's more open media culture.