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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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