Hong Kong

[naomi24]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-48832910

Your thoughts?

[237SJ]

I spend a lot of time in HK. The Hong Kong people really don't like the mainland Chinese. It was only a matter of time before this would happen

[Zacs-Master]

For this to happen there must be a very worried sector of the young who see their futures being very different under Chinese rule.

[Theland]

Well at least they are not shooting their own people - yet.
But very worrying, and China has a long memory. Expect the arrests to start soon.
Britain been told off by China but what can we do?

[naomi24]

237SJ, // The Hong Kong people really don't like the mainland Chinese. //

But this isn't a 'people' thing. It's a politically volatile situation with potentially disastrous consequences for Hong Kong.

[Zacs-Master]

You can’t divorce people from politics, N.

[naomi24]

Hmmmm.....

[Old_Geezer]

Not the wisest move. Feelings were already known. May cost the protestors support.

[jno]

most Chinese dynasties have been overthrown by public upheaval rather than invasion. Beijing will be nervous.

[fender62]

if i were them id back off and stop protesting, remember tiananmen square protest, that did not go well...

[youngmafbog]

"Beijing will be nervous"

If only that were the case. I suspect its more likely they are planning a violent end to suppress the protests together with bringing HK into the Chinese Mainland. As said above it is inevitable.

Wonder what the views of those who support COB and his communist views think?

[naomi24]

I don't think Beijing is nervous but if I lived in Hong Kong I'd be nervous.

[youngmafbog]

Too right Naomi.

My nephew was working there only a few months ago before moving to mainland China to work. Glad he is out.

[ToraToraTora]

Mainland China are determined that HK is no different from the rest. 22 years after they took repossession, they'll see it has demonstration that they have been patient up to now. This extradition thing is the latest step towards HK being absorbed. Eventually it will get bloody they'll make up some pretense to send in troops and suppress the masses. The leader of HK is probably a puppet anyway.

[Rockrose]

very sad to see this, but surprised it took so long to happen

[jno]

The leader of HK is probably a puppet anyway

what, just because she's appointed by Beijing? You amaze me...

[Old_Geezer]

Not being a history buff, I find the Hong Kong situation a little confusing. If China ceded Hong Kong to Britain in 1842, and must consequently had no further say in it, how come China was in any position to grant a lease for it in 1898 ? (It seems similar to finding out that they'd granted Britain a 99 year lease for Wales last week.)

[ludwig]

China will eventually crush any opposition.

[THECORBYLOON]

OG, according to Wiki, the original area given to the UK was about 1/8th the size it is now. The UK needed more land to protect the area it already had in Hong Kong and the Chinese leased that additional land to them for ninety-nine years.

[woofgang]

I remember when Chris Patton left. At the time Hong Kong was China's financial and commercial link to the Western world....actually as it had been for hundreds of years.....evidently it now feels that the West will deal with China directly and it no longer needs to play nice.

[Old_Geezer]

Leased the additional land but agreed to hand it all over at the end. Must've seemed a good idea at the time. Maybe less so now.

Cheers.