Patrickov wrote:This statement of you clearly indicates that you have not even tried to know what's happening in HK for the past 2 years.
We have did exactly "put your big boys' and girls' pants on and confront your own ethnic group from the mainland" in 2019, and then China's response? Imposing the National Security Law and effectively closing off competitive elections, i.e. THE EXACT OPPOSITE!!!
Maybe you think we should follow the examples of Myanmar and have ourselves shot dead on the street. If it is so, I actually AGREE and have such urge myself, but we all know that China can just pour off some of their elites to replace us and pretend nothing has happened.
Next time research before you suggest others to do something they already had!
Oh outraged now. YOU FAKE DOUBLE SPEAKER. You don't give a fuck about Puerto Ricans getting jailed, stomped and killed off during our fight for independence, because it was the USA government that did the fucked repression. But you are PISSED when the nasty anti-democratic PRC does it to your group.
Damn hypocrite. HongKong got backstabbed by the British and the PRC. Why? Trying to avoid what needs to happen. All of you being fully in charge of your nation. Not letting IMPERIAL shit nations be the nice guys. Because THEY SUCK. Now you understand how we feel you hypocrite. Now you understand how the Puerto Ricans feel. The deal the British struck was for control till 1997. That was the date. The British could have gone this route or the UK/HK could have negotiated something better. They did not. So what this quora man stated from Hong Kong is pretty accurate:
Let’s have a quick look at history. Hong Kong, meaning HK Island and the Kowloon peninsula, was ceded to Britain in perpetuity in 1842 following the First Opium War. Hong Kong subsequently obtained the New Territories on a 99-year lease in 1898 (**Note: Baron Frederick Lugard, the governor of HK from 1907–1912, actually made a proposal to return land leased by the British in northeastern China in exchange for China ceding the New Territories in perpetuity. If that had been acted on, Hong Kong might well still be a British territory).
For the UK to refuse to hand back the New Territories at the end of the lease would have been a breach of an international agreement, and as others have noted, the UK would never again be trusted to honor its international obligations. Moreover, it’s important to understand that China was eager to put its humiliation in the 19th and early 20th century at the hands of imperial powers, so it’s highly likely they would use high-pressure tactics to force Britain to the negotiating table. No need for military action. Simply cutting off water and food supplies to Hong Kong or a partial blockade of shipping and air traffic would very quickly bring the colony to its knees — and there would be very little the UK could do about it.
But in theory, Britain could’ve held on to Hong Kong (minus the New Territories) as its Asian Gibraltar. A few random thoughts on what might be needed:
Critical infrastructure would need to be relocated — reservoirs, power plants, even the container port — away from the New Territories to the area ceded under the original agreement with China
The HK government in the late ‘70s had embarked on a program of urban development in the New Territories, so there would need to be preparations to resettle 1–2 million people from these areas back to HK Island or Kowloon
I’d invite the US Navy to base part of the 7th Fleet in Hong Kong at HMS Tamar. China would almost certainly deem this a provocative act, but then its military was far weaker in 1997 than it is today. Given HK’s strategic location (and the fact that the US Navy could no longer access Subic Bay), I could see the US accepting such an invitation. This would provide a degree of security for Hong Kong as well as an additional economic driver for the colony, given that China might well limit investment opportunities by HK companies.
Going through this alternative reality, it seems rather clear that the case for the UK to hold on to Hong Kong without the New Territories in the mix is not really viable. It would simply be too costly.
Now it’s a completely different ball game if Lord Lugard’s proposal had been acted on…
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The Chinese would have taken it back militarily in 1997, as they would have had the right to do under international law.
Only a very small part of Hong Kong as we knew it was actually ceded to the British in perpetuity, that being Hong Kong Island itself and the Kowloon Peninsula, the former in 1841 and the latter in 1860. The rest of the territory, about 90 percent of the total land area of British Hong Kong, was known as the “New Territories.” These lands were held by the British under a 99-year lease, and had to be returned in 1997.
The British government had tried to open negotiations with t … (more)
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Alan Watson, lives in Hong Kong
Updated March 31, 2019
There could be many possible reasons Britain may have retained Hong Kong, and I'm going to predict the outcomes based on each possible reason.1. China had never expressed the interest of getting back the sovereignty of Hong Kong
So Hong Kong people would be free of the political movement, development and interventions from China.
2. Britain was still a global powerful country that China couldn't have negotiating power with Britain
But Chinese government would try its best to help people in Hong Kong to fight for the independence from Britain and would assist this by sending many personnels and se … (more)
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If Hong Kong people file a petition to rejoin the UK, will China accept it?
Why did the UK peacefully agree (1984) to return the Hong Kong Islands and Kowloon to China but went to war with Argentina (1982) over the Falklands?
Why didn't the UK defend Hong Kong like it did the Falklands or Gibraltar?
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Keith Moody, A clearer view of history and the world…
Answered August 6, 2016
To answer the question directly would be to apply conjecture as to the circumstances of the retaining of Hong Kong, of which there are three principal streams.
Since most have offered thoughts on the military aspect, and the ‘let's move/ abandon the NT to HK island’ etc., there only remains the political option.
All Britain would have had to do was to concede that the treaty ceding the NT was unfair - and ‘apologize’ by acknowledging China’s rights and pay a tenure.
Had that happened then a few things would be very different. For one: no Tung Chee Wah, Donald Tsang and CY Leung. It is also highly … (more)
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Desmond Ng, Highly interested in history, 8 years of history reading behind me.
Answered July 5, 2016
For one, it would likely cause an international incident. Great Britain’s reputation would be greatly affected, suffering a major blow as now people would view her as an untrustworthy country which breaks international treaties as she see fit.
The shockwaves would be felt across the world. Anti-Britain countries would have a field day, as they paint the British in a bad light. It is likely that many neutral countries that Great Britain had treaties with would either cancel them or seek alternatives with other countries, lest the British break those as well.
China would likely have retaliated, in … (more)
1 comment from User
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Gary Braithwaite, I live here, have done for most of my life.
Answered July 5, 2016
Well, the very first thing would be that there would be furious words back and forth, possibly involved some very stern letter writing. Would the Chinese have invaded? Probably, since the UK is so much smaller in terms of military power and extremely remote.
However, the very big consequence is that nobody would trust us anymore. International trade deals and agreements would be viewed as something we would violate at our whim.
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Anonymous
Answered July 8, 2016
I don’t think Chinese government won’t do much as long as the British didn’t lead Hong Kong to independence.
Hong Kong has been providing what China needed when they started to reform their dirt poor economy from early 1980s. Hong Kong has always been the biggest foreign investment in China since the reform started. Hong Kong provided skilled technician and management personnel to help China catch up, especially in light industries.
As long as China doesn’t close up the door again, the demand and supply would never change.
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Robert Cameron, I am British!
Answered July 5, 2016
The Chinese military would simply march in, much as India did in Goa. It would have been so monumentally stupid that even a country capable of Suez would not have done it.
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Related Questions
If Hong Kong people file a petition to rejoin the UK, will China accept it?
Why did the UK peacefully agree (1984) to return the Hong Kong Islands and Kowloon to China but went to war with Argentina (1982) over the Falklands?
Why didn't the UK defend Hong Kong like it did the Falklands or Gibraltar?
Why did the UK sign a 99-year lease with China for the return of Hong Kong? Why didn’t they just mandate that it was theirs in perpetuity?
What if China invaded Hong Kong around 1996 and Britain defeated them Falkland Islands style? What would happen?
How happy was Hong Kong with British colonial rule?
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Somehow you think it is different because it is the USA. It is not Patrikov!
Stop with Disneyland thoughts about what being colonized and fought over is about in this world Patrikov! It is a very difficult historical thing and getting the Empires off your back? It is a very ugly, hard won and difficult thing. You want me to know how it feels to be like Myanmar? You are with foolish thoughts in your head assuming that the FBI did not go after us for YEARS threatening our lives because there was no ability to vote and affect change in the nation doing the colonizing from our island. NONE. But somehow you think that is what VOLUNTARY? It is about violence and threats. Get that through your head. For us and for YOU! The PRC is gonna use it and the British don't have a legal case to retain Hong Kong. It was on loan. And China is in your realm of the world. Not the UK. Latin America is in the USA's Empire Realm. They are doing all kinds of shitty things over here. If you believe they are justified and the PRC is not? I got to conclude. HYPOCRISY is who you are. Or you are not respecting Latin American sovereign rights like you would the Hk's. That my man @Patrickov is double speak and I will NEVER respect it.
It is the same. Go and pack your damn bags and go and live in the UK. Speak English and assimilate into Anglo life and go and live there for the rest of your life. Give up your land to the PRC. That is what fighting these damn imperialist is like. Do you like it? No.
Read this:
https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/06/12/br ... hong-kong/Read it and face reality. BETRAYED by the UK. You believed the lies. Because they lied. They lied to us too..the USA did. All the EMPIRES lie. Get that through your biased for the British because your socioeconomic class did well under their underhanded ways of acquiring colonies. The party is over! Go and put your big boy pants on and fight for HK's independence movement and the democratic values you think are the answer. It is going to be blood, sweat and death for a long time. Welcome to all the Latin Americans dealing with the USA's shit Imperialism. It is not Disneyland for us Patrikov! At all!
THen don't you ever talk about Puerto Ricans in some derogatory patronizing shit way again! ( I read and have been reading your patronizing comments don't think I skipped it).
That provocation I did ON PURPOSE for you to snap out of your damn romance with American bullshit Imperialism. It is all BAD. The ENglish version, the American version and the Chinese version. But the opium war drug dealing English were the ones who came up with wanting control of HongKong. They dumped you when they had to measure which of the two nations they could make better money off of. BETRAYED for selfish imperialist powers to win.
Welcome to that world. You hypocrite!
Have the British said they will sweep in and confront the PRC and kick their asses if they touched their precious HongKong people? NO? Why not? Aren't they your buddies and allies? Or are they going to leave you high and dry like they did the Cuban Exiles in the Bay of Pigs trying to take back their country from the nightmare of Communism?
I can answer that one for you Patrikov the double standard pro USA crap thought man......they are GONE. Left you holding the bag. They aren't shedding tears and are battling for their own economic survival in Europe and the European Union.
Putting your need for protection from the homicidal PRC government? They ran like scared dogs.
What you gonna do then? Cry on the internet about it?
I hate people who spout about nations who are in their exact same position in the world and live the problem of being a damn colony and ex colony and then don't empathize with the ones who still are in that same position but since it is some English speaking Anglo influenced bully nation and not Chinese Communism? They give them a damn pass! Don't give them a pass. I don't give the PRC a pass with HongKong. But I won't cry for your hypocrisy you double speaker.
I read what you said about Puerto Rico. I did that whole thing on purpose. You revealed your hypocrisy Patrikov. Biased for the Anglos. To hell with that!