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Britain to give millions of HKers a path to citizenship

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Re: Britain to give millions of HKers a path to citizenship

#31

I hope this doesn't get ugly when people try to actually leave. On the bright side, I wonder what good things this will do for the UK. I doubt many of these people will vote Torry.

Many immigrants who fled communism to come to the US remain strong Republican voters. Cubans are still registered Republicans 2:1. Even as of 2008, Vietnamese Americans were registered Republicans by a significant margin.

Unlike Trump, Johnson has done a good job pulling in minority voters. About half the Indian MPs in the U.K. Parliament are Tories.

Your comment is particularly inexplicable given that Labour just ran someone who wants to put a call for collectivizing property back in Labour’s platform.

Re: Britain to give millions of HKers a path to citizenship

#32

I hope this doesn't get ugly when people try to actually leave. On the bright side, I wonder what good things this will do for the UK. I doubt many of these people will vote Torry.

> I wonder what good things this will do for the UK.

Firstly this would bring UK a lot of respect from the world community as any country prepared to stand up to the rule of law will always look good.

Next, before China started messing with HK it was the financial hub of Asia, but as China starts to erode the rule of law in HK that title will most likely move on to Singapore.

This then means the UK has a great opportunity as it then means they will most likely see an influx of:

1. Well educated HK citizens

2. HK citizens bringing in their wealth (some of whom will no doubt be super rich) which is always good as it helps to build up the national wealth.

Re: Britain to give millions of HKers a path to citizenship

#33
post #2

As someone from a country that was formerly part of the British Empire, I am viewing the situation in Hong Kong with horror. There are many negative things about the British legacy, but they gave us a global language, institutions, law, and notions of personal and economic freedom. The idea of all that being eaten by China...

Might makes right, nothing we can do about it unless people are willing to die to protect them.

HK is just too close to China, you wouldn't want to throw your forces to defend it. Taiwan is probably defendable although it's better for everyone if it remains de facto independent but not risk China's ire.

Re: Britain to give millions of HKers a path to citizenship

#34
post #21

I wish the U.S. could make a New Hong Kong territory on the west coast somewhere. I think that would give the HKers access to the Pacific and a place to rebuild. I'd love to have those brilliant entrepreneurs and engineers over here.

> I think that would give the HKers access to the Pacific and a place to rebuild. I'd love to have those brilliant entrepreneurs and engineers over here. Not many special "brilliant entrepreneurs". Just regular ole entrepreneurs taking advantage of the specific spot HK was in, and the specific relationship between Britain and China for global trade. Merely bring the same people elsewhere would accomplish no great mir…

There's nothing particularly special about SV VCs /programmers. Just a crapload of capital allocated there. Programmers are abundant throughout the country.

Re: Britain to give millions of HKers a path to citizenship

#35
post #23
post #20

First Hong Kong, next Taiwan?

That’s what I keep thinking: this is a dry-run sewing if they’ll get meaningful backlash from the next U.S. President.

Taiwan and Hong Kong couldn’t be more different though. Hong Kong legislature (heavily influenced by China) passed this law (edit: this turns out not to be true). Hong Kong is already part of China. You don’t have 200km of water to cross against a country that’s prepared for just that. There’s no TSMC. If it’s a dry run for Taiwan, it’s a really shitty one.

Re: Britain to give millions of HKers a path to citizenship

#37
post #21

I wish the U.S. could make a New Hong Kong territory on the west coast somewhere. I think that would give the HKers access to the Pacific and a place to rebuild. I'd love to have those brilliant entrepreneurs and engineers over here.

> I think that would give the HKers access to the Pacific and a place to rebuild. I'd love to have those brilliant entrepreneurs and engineers over here. Not many special "brilliant entrepreneurs". Just regular ole entrepreneurs taking advantage of the specific spot HK was in, and the specific relationship between Britain and China for global trade. Merely bring the same people elsewhere would accomplish no great mir…

[deleted]

Re: Britain to give millions of HKers a path to citizenship

#38
post #13

The Sino-British Joint Declaration was a mistake. What did they think would happen? If not now then what about in 2047?! Were they hoping that was enough time to warm the new generations to the idea of giving up their rights? There is no fixing this, but I appreciate the effort by the British. Many will not want to leave, understandably. But the threat of draining HK is an interesting sort of pressure to put on China…

There was no alternative really, China would have just seized HK by force. Jolly good show by the Brits to standby the people of Hong Kong though with this immigration offer. Politicians rarely do the right thing instead of the self-interested thing, but you have to hand it to Johnson's government on this one.

Re: Britain to give millions of HKers a path to citizenship

#39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you mean our military bases in Japan and South Korea, who have no great trust of China, I'm not sure why China's opinion would be relevant there. If it's not controversial for Britain to offer them citizenship then it shouldn't be for US either. Even if it is...you gotta stand up to communism.

> If it's not controversial for Britain to offer them citizenship then it shouldn't be for US either China objects strongly. It says these are Chinese citizens and Britain ceased to have any claim over the territory decades ago. Of course since Britain's offer exists only on paper (there is no mechanism proposed by which a typical person in Hong Kong should actually make use of the offer to leave) the Chinese objecti…

Unless China proposes to keep its own citizens prisoners there’s not much it can do to stop them taking up the offer.

Re: Britain to give millions of HKers a path to citizenship

#40
post #31

I hope this doesn't get ugly when people try to actually leave. On the bright side, I wonder what good things this will do for the UK. I doubt many of these people will vote Torry.

Many immigrants who fled communism to come to the US remain strong Republican voters. Cubans are still registered Republicans 2:1. Even as of 2008, Vietnamese Americans were registered Republicans by a significant margin. Unlike Trump, Johnson has done a good job pulling in minority voters. About half the Indian MPs in the U.K. Parliament are Tories. Your comment is particularly inexplicable given that Labour just ra…

Of the four “Great Offices of State”, two are held by people of South Asian heritage, as is the AG, and another Cabinet Member. Two of those people are also women. Got to imaging Sajid Javid will be back there soon. Three of those five families that went via the empire in Africa. Conspicuous absence of black people tho.
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