International News Hong Kong

Gary Baldi

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I'm sure our posters in Hong Kong can provide a more nuanced position, but this deserves a separate thread as the situation deteriorates.

Best I can sum it up as is WTAF are China doing? And I am glad that the UK Govt are not sitting idly by while China break the agreement. Another disgusting perspective on who China really are under the Winnie the Pooh.
 
I don’t know what China are doing, but you can be sure this won’t just be about Hong Kong. China play the long game, this will be designed to embarrass or drive division though the west.
 
Should never have given Hong Kong back to the Chinese.
Life would certainly be better for the Hong Kong population. But Hong Kong differed to say The Falklands because it was on a lease that expired.
Had Britain not of handed it back, China would have almost certainly invaded, and would have been on reasonable grounds to do so.
I would have thought it in China’s interests to of offered a new lease because of the obvious problems they were going to have with the population. But I think the attraction of acquiring the huge (capitalist) financial sector was to much to turn down.
 
The Govt are doing the right thing with offering to help those that we can. I am glad we haven't just sat back and done nothing - Hong Kong doesn't deserve that. It highlights the fundamental flaw in the Chinese political system where they can usually quell disruption.

Interesting times ahead
 
Nothing to do with us....lease is up and Hong Kong is Chinese now............
 
I'm only surprised that this didn't happen sooner. Hong Kong now belongs to China. The Chinese won't respect civil rights they will rule with an iron fist. Unfortunate but that's how it is.
 
Should have sorted the lease out really................. sounds familiar, the clock never stops ticking and you either extend or return the keys.
 
My name gives it a away a bit. Having lived 3 times in HK in the last 15 years but also my Mum having an association with the Pattens. Will respond to each post, one by one.
 
I'm sure our posters in Hong Kong can provide a more nuanced position, but this deserves a separate thread as the situation deteriorates.

Best I can sum it up as is WTAF are China doing? And I am glad that the UK Govt are not sitting idly by while China break the agreement. Another disgusting perspective on who China really are under the Winnie the Pooh.

Gary,

Totally disagree. Most of those over 30 are neutral or supportive of China, and they are angry and the students and youngsters, especially with the violence when protests have been peaceful before. Indeed there are some conspiracies that the violence was planned and organised as this would allow China to take a stronger influence.

China is not perfect, but they have come a long way in 15 years both culturally, economically and on the world stage. No country and people are perfect, but to be honest I would classify China and its people as no worse than the UK or the US.

In terms of negotiating the handover, a lot was about money. However, China was very flexible and in the meetings they did remind the UK, they had every right to break down the border and send the PLA in when the handover date in 1997 occured.

HK has always been a haven for money. Pre 1997 a lot of people and businesses didnt pay taxes, hence there is a story that everyone scrambled around to pay their back taxes. This left HK with reserves of billions of dollars. In the negotiations both the UK and China wanted these monies, in the end it was spent on HK, hence you see the new airport, bridges and other huge investments.

To most people HK has always been part of China. Someone quoted a very easy to understand analogy which I will try and get the link to;

Imagine you lease your house out for 150 years. You lease it, but it is yours. After 150 years the lease is due to finish, however the leaseholder asks to extend it. You agree, but know the property will finally be returned to you in another 50 years later. So you write up and lease but put a lot of clauses in the lease as its almost like a transitional lease. However as you come to halfway in that extended lease, you dont like the way your property is being treated and the occupants, what would you do? Its highly likely you would look to end that lease early, or to protect what is your property, you would evict or control the occupants.
 
I don’t know what China are doing, but you can be sure this won’t just be about Hong Kong. China play the long game, this will be designed to embarrass or drive division though the west.

Yes, China have got very smart on the world stage. While countries like the US are brash and shout about, the UK just moan about everything, China quietly goes on about their business.

China are or will be "the" global power very soon, and have tried to disconnect themselves from outside influence wherever possible. China have sided with a sizeable amount of countries hence over 50 nations voted for them at the UN.
 
The Govt are doing the right thing with offering to help those that we can. I am glad we haven't just sat back and done nothing - Hong Kong doesn't deserve that. It highlights the fundamental flaw in the Chinese political system where they can usually quell disruption.

Interesting times ahead

Again, disagree.

You can bet the UK will be very selective about who they offer to help. There is a huge amount of money in HK. As we have seen Chinese are a global population now. Look how many you would see at Bicester Village, studying at the University, etc etc. Canada, US, Switzerland, Singapore will welcome those with money with open arms. To the sizeable "poor" person from HK who works as fireman, manual worker, do you think they would be welcome?
 
I'm only surprised that this didn't happen sooner. Hong Kong now belongs to China. The Chinese won't respect civil rights they will rule with an iron fist. Unfortunate but that's how it is.

You could argue how is China different to Singapore, a lot of Middle Eastern countries, Indonesia.....
 
There was no choice, as per my previous post.
Sadly true but, still, in my opinion, a mistake by the Chinese to impose their rule upon what could have been a very important and lucrative outpost. A functioning financial conduit to the non-chinese business world could have served them far better than a populace ruled without the civil rights and liberties enjoyed under the rule of the UK. Hong Kong will decline into just another port with some empty tower blocks.
I wonder if the Chinese remember the history of the region?
 
Sadly true but, still, in my opinion, a mistake by the Chinese to impose their rule upon what could have been a very important and lucrative outpost. A functioning financial conduit to the non-chinese business world could have served them far better than a populace ruled without the civil rights and liberties enjoyed under the rule of the UK. Hong Kong will decline into just another port with some empty tower blocks.
I wonder if the Chinese remember the history of the region?

Not really, HK has always been a haven for hiding money especially from China. Hence a lot of that wealth is moving to Singapore. China wants transparency over corruption and people hiding their gains.

Separately, China has always wanted to have Shanghai and Shenzhen as major bourses instead of Hong Kong, and Shenzhen port to take over from Hong Kong. You will still have a functional financial conduit, but they are leaning towards more friendly China companies such as HSBC and SCB, alongside the huge China banks.

"Hong Kong will decline into just another port with some empty tower blocks" you mean like the major ports like Shenzhen and Shanghai?

The Chinese only remember the history if its THEIR history, for HK, symbols of British History in HK have largely disappeared.
 
Not really, HK has always been a haven for hiding money especially from China. Hence a lot of that wealth is moving to Singapore. China wants transparency over corruption and people hiding their gains.

Separately, China has always wanted to have Shanghai and Shenzhen as major bourses instead of Hong Kong, and Shenzhen port to take over from Hong Kong. You will still have a functional financial conduit, but they are leaning towards more friendly China companies such as HSBC and SCB, alongside the huge China banks.

"Hong Kong will decline into just another port with some empty tower blocks" you mean like the major ports like Shenzhen and Shanghai?

The Chinese only remember the history if its THEIR history, for HK, symbols of British History in HK have largely disappeared.

Their own people? ;)
 
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