Hong Kong fooey
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George Smiley

Original Poster:

5,048 posts

105 months

Sunday 1st September 2019
quotequote all
We stole HK then gave it back over twenty years ago. Why do we care what’s going on there?

glazbagun

15,183 posts

221 months

Sunday 1st September 2019
quotequote all
It's a democratic, globally significant financial centre and an important market with British cultural links and legal frameworks being turned into a less democratic one by a police state that 30 years ago massacred it's own people for protesting for more democracy.

You don't think that's newsworthy?

chow pan toon

12,933 posts

261 months

Sunday 1st September 2019
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Imagine my surprise upon checking George's posts to discover he's a Brexiteer

dandarez

13,911 posts

307 months

Sunday 1st September 2019
quotequote all
chow pan toon said:
Imagine my surprise upon checking George's posts to discover he's a Brexiteer
What the f does supporting Brexit have to do with it?

I bet there are plenty of Remoaners who don't even have a f clue where HK is!

Face it, many remoaners still think, even after 3 yrs, that we're leaving 'Europe'!

InitialDave

14,447 posts

143 months

Sunday 1st September 2019
quotequote all
George Smiley said:
We stole HK then gave it back over twenty years ago. Why do we care what’s going on there?
I'd think that your username would lend you at least a passing interest in the activities of a large, communist foreign power.

anonymous-user

78 months

Sunday 1st September 2019
quotequote all
George Smiley said:
We stole HK then gave it back over twenty years ago. Why do we care what’s going on there?
Lots of British interest and connections in Hong Kong still.

Many British people lived there or live there still and many have friends and family still there.

Can you really not see why British people might be interested in what is going on in Hong Kong?

valiant

13,502 posts

184 months

Sunday 1st September 2019
quotequote all
2 million took to the streets the other week. Incredible numbers especially as the population of HK is less than 8 million.

The equivalent here is something like nearly 17million taking to the streets.

Agree with it or not but the British have some pretty strong ties to HK and it’s still within a lot of our memories of being an overseas territory of the UK and as such we take an interest.

You could say, in a squinting sort of way, that we still bear a little responsibility for the Hong Kongese (what do you call a resident of HK?) and should use what little influence we have to try and improve their lot.

George Smiley

Original Poster:

5,048 posts

105 months

Sunday 1st September 2019
quotequote all
Newsworthy? Not that interested it’s nothing to do with us and the writing was in the wall when we severed ties. If we wanted to seriously protect the interests we should never have pulled out.

Hoofy

79,541 posts

306 months

Sunday 1st September 2019
quotequote all
valiant said:
in a squinting sort of way
RACIST!!!

George Smiley

Original Poster:

5,048 posts

105 months

Sunday 1st September 2019
quotequote all
We have zero influence. Yes it’s not great what’s going on but it’s China nothing is to be unexpected

As for brexit, wtf. I suppose I’m a racist right wing neo nazi? Yes I support brexit but for fiscal and legal reasons not for some racist agenda that the remainers like to hook into.

anonymous-user

78 months

Monday 2nd September 2019
quotequote all
George Smiley said:
Newsworthy? Not that interested it’s nothing to do with us and the writing was in the wall when we severed ties. If we wanted to seriously protect the interests we should never have pulled out.
What do you keep saying “we” and “us” just because it’s nothing to do with you, it doesn’t mean others aren’t interested or affected.

George Smiley

Original Poster:

5,048 posts

105 months

Monday 2nd September 2019
quotequote all
El stovey said:
George Smiley said:
Newsworthy? Not that interested it’s nothing to do with us and the writing was in the wall when we severed ties. If we wanted to seriously protect the interests we should never have pulled out.
What do you keep saying “we” and “us” just because it’s nothing to do with you, it doesn’t mean others aren’t interested or affected.
I’m privileged then as this news must be presented just to me. What do you see on your personalised news24?

glazbagun

15,183 posts

221 months

Monday 2nd September 2019
quotequote all
George Smiley said:
Newsworthy? Not that interested it’s nothing to do with us and the writing was in the wall when we severed ties. If we wanted to seriously protect the interests we should never have pulled out.
You should stick to your local newspaper,then. It has lots of things which affect you like potholes or the latest shop to leave your high street and very little on global events.

alfaman

6,416 posts

258 months

Monday 2nd September 2019
quotequote all
George Smiley said:
We stole HK then gave it back over twenty years ago. Why do we care what’s going on there?
Massively important globally - thinking otherwise is rather dim witted.

Huge financial hub

HQ for some very large businesses (Cathay , Jardine etc)

regional HQ for many banks and large MNCs

China have a terrible record for human rights abuse.

If they get away with trashing the agreement re HK. ... they may consider invading Taiwan at some point ( May want to do that anyway )

If China make HK completely like mainland - many businesses will pull out... move to Singapore, KL or maybe some to Taiwan

W12GT

4,296 posts

245 months

Monday 2nd September 2019
quotequote all
alfaman said:
George Smiley said:
We stole HK then gave it back over twenty years ago. Why do we care what’s going on there?
Massively important globally - thinking otherwise is rather dim witted.

Huge financial hub

HQ for some very large businesses (Cathay , Jardine etc)

regional HQ for many banks and large MNCs

China have a terrible record for human rights abuse.

If they get away with trashing the agreement re HK. ... they may consider invading Taiwan at some point ( May want to do that anyway )

If China make HK completely like mainland - many businesses will pull out... move to Singapore, KL or maybe some to Taiwan
In fact I read last week a number of these businesses are currently looking to relocate to London - I’m guessing because the Financial links and very similar modus operandi?

Testaburger

3,935 posts

222 months

Monday 2nd September 2019
quotequote all
W12GT said:
In fact I read last week a number of these businesses are currently looking to relocate to London - I’m guessing because the Financial links and very similar modus operandi?
It’s a very similar operating environment, as the laws were basically photocopied from the British books.

The problem for a lot of companies in HK is that the city exists as a gateway to and from China in a great many markets. Currency, Capital, mergers, IPOs, shipping, insurance, airlines etc. So moving elsewhere isn’t feasible in a lot of cases.

Then again, HK becoming more akin to China has the same effect.

powerstroke

10,283 posts

184 months

Monday 2nd September 2019
quotequote all
Funny how little is being said , its not just HK the Chinese are busy pouring concrete onto dozens of small Islands in the south china sea most of which belong to other nations , Never mind as long as we have Russia we have a baddy to bash, we don't
need to criticise the Saudis either ...!!!

alfaman

6,416 posts

258 months

Monday 2nd September 2019
quotequote all
Testaburger said:
It’s a very similar operating environment, as the laws were basically photocopied from the British books.

The problem for a lot of companies in HK is that the city exists as a gateway to and from China in a great many markets. Currency, Capital, mergers, IPOs, shipping, insurance, airlines etc. So moving elsewhere isn’t feasible in a lot of cases.

Then again, HK becoming more akin to China has the same effect.
The gateway to China thing is important.

from a legal structure view - either Singapore or KL both work as also ex Brit colonies.

Singapore is very business- friendly and a very safe place to run a business from risk point of view.

Nobody will be sending in troops or passing draconian laws which scare off expats, residents or business owners.

Thing is : China will never back down on anything ... because they know in China they can suppress anything and people will acquiesce ... but HK citizens feel very differently and will try and resist the jackboot of China.

Carrie Lam is just a puppet controlled by the mainland

alfaman

6,416 posts

258 months

Monday 2nd September 2019
quotequote all
Regional HQs could easily move to Singapore.

Much more difficult though for the likes of Cathay Pacific - with lots of routes into and via China - and their home base is HK

Evercross

6,883 posts

88 months

Monday 2nd September 2019
quotequote all
Sorry, but where's the recognition for the great thread title?



Have a clap

(Plus excellent agent provocateur - bait taken with second post).