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Britain Knew It Was Abandoning Its Subjects in Hong Kong - And Now Millions of People Will Pay the Price for Britain's Decision

More than 1 million protest in Hong Kong, organizers say, over Chinese extradition law

[quote]Hong Kong (CNN)More than 1 million protesters took to the streets of Hong Kong Sunday, organizers said, to oppose a controversial extradition bill that would enable China to extradite fugitives from the city.

The mass of protesters would be the largest demonstration since the city was handed back to China in 1997. Civil Human Rights Front, the group that organized the protests, said 1.03 million people marched -- a figure that accounts for almost one in seven of the city's 7.48 million-strong population.

Critics say the bill will leave anyone on Hong Kong soil vulnerable to being grabbed by the Chinese authorities for political reasons or inadvertent business offenses and undermine the city's semi-autonomous legal system. [/quote]

https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/08/asia/hong-kong-extradition-bill-protest-intl/index.html

Britain should have allowed any subject to leave the colony AT THEIR CHOICE before turning over the area to Chinese authorities. They should have asked other Commonwealth nations to help resettle any of the 6.6 million residents who did not want to live under communist rule.

They should have left the Communist Chinese the land, water in the harbor (and I suppose the fish), plenty of empty building and homes and whatever pigeons and other birds that wished to stay in the area. But ALL THE PEOPLE should have been allowed to leave.


[b][big]For further reading, see:[/big][/b]

https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2156385/britains-disgraceful-pre-handover-efforts-deny-nationality

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong#British_Nationality_(Hong_Kong)_Act,_1990:_British_citizenship_for_50,000_Hong_Kong_families

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[u]About Me[/u]:
[b]https://similarworlds.com/beckyromero/info[/b]

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CarolineP · 70-79, F
Having been a Hong Kong resident at the time, and for several years later, I know of absolutely no evidence that at the time there was any pressure from the local population to evacuate to foreign climes. The great majority were happy to return to the motherland, albeit under an apparently more democratic regime.

(By the way, if you think the British colonial regime was benevolent and democratic, you are living in cloud cuckoo land. )

There simply was zero pressure for a vast outward movement of population. If you think I am wrong, please show me the source of your supposition. Of course man of the incredibly wealth Chinese citizens of Hong Kong at the time made sure they had expensive properties in London, New York, Sydney and so on, plus a British passport.

But as for a suppressed exodus - your assertion is ridiculous.
HowardP · 80-89, M
Totally agree. I was also a resident of HK at the time, and the general mood was a cautious welcome at the end of the British occupancy.

Additionally. most Chinese understood the future risk that the nasty Beijing government could abrogate any or all of the terms of the handover agreement.

The amazing thing is just how good the Chinese government have been in fulfilling their side of the bargain. @CarolineP
beckyromero · 36-40, F
@CarolineP [quote](By the way, if you think the British colonial regime was benevolent and democratic, you are living in cloud cuckoo land. )[/quote]

Did I say that?

Why are you trying to deflect from the point I [b]DID[/b] make? That all British subjects in Hong Kong should have been allowed to resettle in Britain if [b]THEY[/b] wanted to do so.

Also, see:

https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2156385/britains-disgraceful-pre-handover-efforts-deny-nationality
Harriet03 · 41-45, F
People forget we only leased it from China, it was always going to end in tears!! 🤷‍♀️
whowasthatmaskedman · 70-79, M
@beckyromero Becky. You keep coming back to a Race issue that didnt and still doesnt exist. Sorry. But in this case you are incorrect. Britain worked hard to get a deal that the vast majority were happy with. The few who wanted to leave, did so.
beckyromero · 36-40, F
@whowasthatmaskedman

"Few" left because of the restrictions that were placed.

And now were are beginning to see how the 'deal' is working.
beckyromero · 36-40, F
@Harriet03 [quote]Your solution is???[/quote]

Britain SHOULD have allowed [b]any and all[/b] subjects to have left had they so chose to do so.

They should grant that right now, too, even though unfortunately the Chinese are now in the position to prevent that from happening.
Burnley123 · 41-45, M
China is not communist and if it was, it would hardly have allowed Hong Kong to maintain (and grow) in its role as one of the world's big financial centres.

Its a place we Brits have no historic rights too and it only came about because of our brutal colonial legacy. I'm not sure what the Hong Kong people thought at the time it went back to Chinese territory, perhaps they were in favour? There is no solution which involves it going back to the Brits and nor should there be.

The Chinese State is brutal and anti democratic. I hope the Hong Kong people do get their way and have democracy but they have one hell of a fight.
Burnley123 · 41-45, M
@beckyromero I'm generally pro-immigration. I'm anti-Brexit and wish Britain would take more numbers of refugees.

6 million Hong Kongers would be 10% of our population. Imagine the whole population of Canada immigrated to America overnight. It's clearly not gonna happen.

As I say, as people they are more Chinese than British anyway. The point is that they have their own distinct identity which is separate from either country.
beckyromero · 36-40, F
@Burnley123

1. We don't know that all 6 million 'Hong Kongers' would have left.

2. I said that Britain could have encouraged Commonwealth nations to help with the number of 'Hong Kongers' that wished to leave.

3. Britain could have asked other nations to help as well, including the United States.

Whether 'Hong Kongers' are "more Chinese than British" doesn't matter. They were British subjects.
Yeah, keep your fingers crossed. I'm an AF vet-I served in Taiwan, and I hope I'm long gone before I see Taiwan taken back by Beijing@Burnley123
whowasthatmaskedman · 70-79, M
Before people start blaming Britain for throwing Honk Kong China under a bus, I would like to remind everyone here this was not like a Brexit Deal. Britain has a 99 year lease on the territory which had an expiry date. No option. No extensions. and the British Government fought while hell to get a separate government for Hong Kong citizens and did a pretty good job. There is a 50 year transition process and China is gradually moving its processes to bring Hong Kong into the fold. Of course the Hong Kong residents dont like it.
whowasthatmaskedman · 70-79, M
@beckyromero So I figure you know the local population of Hong Kong was over 6 million, as opposed to the Falklands 3,000 and number of Chinese citizens did leave Hong Kong. While there are thriving Ethic Chinese communities in large cities around the world. So I get the impression Race and assimilation would not be an issue. Many chose to stay believing the Chinese separation of Government system would allow Hong Kong to continue as a free trade port for Chinese trade and result in a boom time for the Island.
beckyromero · 36-40, F
@whowasthatmaskedman [quote]So I figure you know the local population of Hong Kong was over 6 million, as opposed to the Falklands 3,000[/quote]

Of course.

But Britain did not set up a process that would have allowed any subject of the Crown to leave if they so chose to do so. They not only discourage the people of Hong Kong from doing so but set restrictions and limits.

Either you stand for freedom and the principals you believe in. Or you don't.

If it was right to have allowed any and all of the several thousand WHITE subjects of the Crown to resettle in Britain had an agreement with Argentina been reached, then it should have been right to have allowed any and all of the six million subjects of the Crown of Chinese descent to resettle in Britain, too.
whowasthatmaskedman · 70-79, M
@beckyromero It was not the same situation at all.. I guess on this occasion we are going to have to disagree.
Tracos · 51-55, M
It's not like the handover was a surprise or overnight decision
helenS · 36-40, F
" They should have asked other Commonwealth nations to help resettle any of the 6.6 million residents who did not want to live under communist rule.

— Seven million highly welcomed refugees. When a much smaller number of refugees arrived in Europe in 2015, racism and right-wing extremism rose to a horrible level.
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beckyromero · 36-40, F
@fidra2 [quote]rehomedcandcthe[/quote]

Huh?
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I am baffled by how a single protest is suddenly an argument for colonialism and empire. That was hardly benevolent and British involvement in most of her colonies were definitely not benevolent. As others mentioned there was no mad rush to try and leave and nobody was left to rot. I suppose try to whitewash the old empire might be useful if you want to try and convince people that the current empire is welcome and benevolent.
beckyromero · 36-40, F
@PicturesOfABetterTomorrow

[b]I am baffled[/b] by how no one can seem to comprehend a simple proposition:

That the [b]PEOPLE[/b] of Hong Kong who were British subjects should have been allowed to resettle in Britain [b]IF THEY SO CHOSE[/b].
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beckyromero · 36-40, F
@Deadcutie [quote]Hong Kong residents knew for decades and could of left on their own....[/quote]

Read the history of how Britain made this difficult for people to so do.
SW-User
You're speaking about the decision of Brexit?
Burnley123 · 41-45, M
@SW-User lol
Fernie · F
Why don't WE take to the streets in those numbers?
TJNewton · M
Where is hong king ?
Dlrannie · 31-35, F
@Pfuzylogic I would expect nothing less from you 😂😂😂
Dlrannie · 31-35, F
@TJNewton Morning to you sweetie 😘😘😘😘😘
TJNewton · M
@Dlrannie 😉😉😘😘😘💖💖💖 i'm going out shortly so i'll catch ya laters have a lovely day 🙂

 
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