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Hong Kong: UK makes citizenship offer to residents

bbc.co.uk

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Re: Hong Kong: UK makes citizenship offer to residents

#141

Post by grey-area »

ksec wrote: post #112
nly wrote: post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Surprising isn't it, given how much of a driving force EU immigration was in the Brexit debate.

It kind of depends, immigration wasn't a big part of it from talking with many business partners. Many just dont like the idea rules are being made in Brussels.

They may be disappointed when they discover the rules aren't made in Brussels because the UK joined the EU, but because it's the UK's largest trading partner and the largest trade bloc in the world.

Brexit will simply make their position worse.

Re: Hong Kong: UK makes citizenship offer to residents

#142

Post by bjourne »

daemin wrote: post #40

I would have said that returning Hong Kong back to China was one of the biggest mistakes the UK has made, but here we are in 2020. It would have been better if they made it into an independent city state like Singapore.

Hong Kong was a corrupt state long before China took over.

Re: Hong Kong: UK makes citizenship offer to residents

#143

Post by delecti »

throwaway1997 wrote: post #70
delecti wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The government they made the contract with didn't even exist anymore. The Qing Empire made that contract with the UK. Independence or just keeping HK in the UK both make at least as much sense as giving it to a country that didn't even exist when the contract was formed.

It may have made sense technically but China has a huge army and HK is dependent on water, electricity and food which comes from the mainland. The mainland government made very clear that if HK wasn't returned, they would cut off the water supply.

That's a separate issue though. That China had the military might to take HK doesn't mean they were the legitimate government to have HK returned to.

It's not stealing from China to not give them something taken from someone else.

Re: Hong Kong: UK makes citizenship offer to residents

#144

Post by rat9988 »

growlist wrote: post #114
runawaybottle wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is it surprising? UK has a problem with certain races coming over. What’s the difference between Syrian refugees and Hong Kongers? They would both be seeking refugee status essentially.

Educated, entrepreneurial, hard working, law abiding, socially conservative, respectful of their host. Who wouldn't welcome migrants like this?

You mean rich migrants I guess.

Re: Hong Kong: UK makes citizenship offer to residents

#145

Post by fatjokes »

I'm super curious to see how this will turn out for the UK. A lot of the comments here mention HK's relative high education, English proficiency and wealth.

If those are true: the upside will be easier settlement into the UK, maybe increased entrepreneurship. The downsides are: driving up local housing prices, increased competition for jobs.

If those are false, the UK may experience an influx of lower-wage labor and increased competition for blue-collar jobs. Possibly even increased crime (maybe Triads would move to the UK?)

I have a feeling anti-Asian/Chinese racism would spike in the UK. It has popular bipartisan support right now (another comment mentioned that) because anti-China/CCP sentiment is probably at an all-time high, but you can't take in thousands/millions of people in a short amount of time from a different culture without expecting an impact on your own.

tl;dr: How do I invest in British real estate?

Re: Hong Kong: UK makes citizenship offer to residents

#146

Post by runawaybottle »

akie wrote: post #111
runawaybottle wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is it surprising? UK has a problem with certain races coming over. What’s the difference between Syrian refugees and Hong Kongers? They would both be seeking refugee status essentially.

They have a problem with Europeans coming over as well.

That’s not what rallied Brexit. The right riled up people with “scary” immigration, the same way “scary” Mexican immigration was used by Trump.

But hey, Hong Kongers are “better” immigrants. We can all see through this I hope.

Re: Hong Kong: UK makes citizenship offer to residents

#147

Post by blibble »

toyg wrote: post #137
blibble wrote: post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

what would you expect it to even try to do with the UK present, given that EU foreign policy can be veto'ed by a single member state? several of which are keen to preserve or grow their CCP trade

We are as keen as anyone - see the nuclear power plant projects and 5G. Still, is it just a coincidence that Xi accelerated his plans shortly after Brexit? Between that and Trump, we are effectively isolated and fundamentally vulnerable to this sort of power play.

> Still, is it just a coincidence that Xi accelerated his plans shortly after Brexit?

most likely, I doubt the EU or UK even register on the CCP's plans for the Chinese century

"delusions of grandeur"

Re: Hong Kong: UK makes citizenship offer to residents

#148

Post by sasum »

ryan_j_naughton wrote: post #93
sasum wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not a very savory opinion to say "I wish colonialism had gone even further".

Supporting HK in gaining independence wouldn't have been an act of Colonialism. It would have been enabling self determination of a population. Colonialism is "the policy or practice of acquiring full or partial political control over another country, occupying it with settlers, and exploiting it economically." Giving the HK people independence is literally the opposite of colonialism. In contrast, the new law by by…

The CPC cannot be colonialist against Hong Kong. HK has been part of China for thousands of years and is ethnically Chinese. Hong Kong exists today because Britain used military power to force the Chinese government to import opium. In the process they annexed Hong Kong.

Not to mention, HKers DO NOT want independence. In a recent poll only 20% of HKers desire independence.

Re: Hong Kong: UK makes citizenship offer to residents

#149

Post by woodpanel »

vertex-four wrote: post #110
woodpanel wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why trying ? If it is so bad in the US, what is keeping you there? Many developed countries have relatively few immigration hurdles for US Americans to pass. UK in particular, European countries are lax in general in these regards (I live in Germany).

"Relatively few" usually means a significant employment barrier - you usually have to be making a certain amount of money which is hard to come by at the lower rungs of STEM employment, especially if you're restricted to applying for companies you can interview with from overseas.

"Relatively few" for Germany means e.g.

- if you're looking for a job here, as an US citizen you get 3 months visa without questions asked

- there is no minimum amount of money needed in Germany for US citizens, neither as a deposit nor as pay

Re: Hong Kong: UK makes citizenship offer to residents

#150

Post by oarsinsync »

vertex-four wrote: post #110
woodpanel wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why trying ? If it is so bad in the US, what is keeping you there? Many developed countries have relatively few immigration hurdles for US Americans to pass. UK in particular, European countries are lax in general in these regards (I live in Germany).

"Relatively few" usually means a significant employment barrier - you usually have to be making a certain amount of money which is hard to come by at the lower rungs of STEM employment, especially if you're restricted to applying for companies you can interview with from overseas.

You then also need to make more, as you continue to be taxed in the USA, until you've lived abroad long enough to qualify for citizenship in your new host country, and can give up your USA citizenship.
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