Hong Kong — Mayday, Mayday, Mayday
Hong Kong is in its last days as an “autonomous” region and part of the “One China, Two Systems” promise. Dust off your funeral suit and dress.
China has cracked the whip and made obvious its intentions to slap the snot out of Hong Kong, to terminate its faux autonomous region nonsense, and to quell any nascent thoughts of freedom.
Let’s examine the time line.
1. In 1997, the British lease for Hong Kong terminated. The Brits returned Hong Kong to Chinese sovereignty based on the promise that Hong Kong would be an autonomous region, though part of China.
2. As part of that transfer, the Chinese solemnly promised to govern Hong Kong by allowing its own legislature and leadership to continue part of a plan they called “One China, Two Systems.”
3. This system was to prevail until 2047 — fifty years.
4. Based on this arrangement, this promise, countries agreed to treat Hong Kong in a manner similar to how they had when the Brits ran the place.
5. In current terms that means that when the US imposed tariffs on China, these same tariffs did not fall on Hong Kong.
6. The relationship with Hong Kong was so tight, that almost 100,000 American citizens reside full time in Hong Kong.