Indiana Solo
I still think It'd have been brilliant to hand Hong Kong over to the Republic of China and just park a ton of troops in it.
'Well the treaty didn't specify WHICH China'
I'm baaaaaaack
HGW XX/7
That would have been an unbelievably stupid thing to do.
Schild und Schwert der Partei
Indiana Solo
Would have pissed China of but what could they do, start world war 3? At the moment it's looking more and more like itd have been better for Hong Kong.
I'm baaaaaaack
V
The trouble is that the boundary between Hong Kong and the New Territoriesnote was just an ordinary street in Kowloon. Hong Kong was not defensible, especially on its own.
The British Government undertook a lot of work over about ten or fifteen years to produce the current situation. We did not want to see our work go to waste.
edited 3rd Jul '14 6:13:35 AM by Greenmantle
Keep Rolling On
HGW XX/7
![[up]](https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/smiles/arrow_up.png "[up]"){kind=icon}
The PRC would simply have invaded Hong Kong. Britain alone could not have defended it, and NATO would not have become involved in a war it would have seen as being needlessly started by British provocation. Furthermore, China would also have regarded handing HK to the Kuomintang Republic as an act of treachery that removed any obligation upon it to consider British concerns about HK's people, meaning that HK wouldn't even have got the current SAR status and the 50-year grace period it enjoys now.
Not to mention that Taiwan only held its first real elections in 1996 - it wasn't clear that it was any better for HK at the time.
edited 3rd Jul '14 6:08:30 AM by Achaemenid
Schild und Schwert der Partei
Who Am I?
Besides, how do you expect pro-democratic attitudes to spread into mainline China if you wall off Hong Kong? The PRC is playing with fire, no matter which way they take it, and they know it.
What would really be hilarious would be if the PRC said to Britain "You know what? Screw this, take it back." Not gunna happen, of course.
"We learn from history that we do not learn from history."
Organized Canine Bureau Special Agent
Another press release regarding the refusal of protest organizers to comply with HKPF instructions. This one's in Chinese, but this statement was released before officer made massive arrests:
發言人指出，遊行隊伍前進緩慢，是由於主辦單位帶頭的車輛拒絕依從警方指示，沿途以十分緩慢的速度行駛，並多次停下，亦不理會警方多次勸喻和警告，導致遊行隊伍前進的速度，今年所用的時間比往年要長得多，去年主辦單位帶頭車輛由維園至修頓球場只需約四十五分鐘，昨日就用了約一小時三十分鐘。警方對此表示極度失望，亦會保留追究有關人士的法律責任。
對於主辦單位要求開放軒尼詩道東西行全線供遊行隊伍使用，發言人再次重申，公眾集會及遊行上訴委員會在較早前的裁決已確認警方有關的安排。此外，若按照主辦單位的要求，開放軒尼詩道東西行全線供遊行隊伍使用，金鐘、灣仔以及銅鑼灣一帶的公共交通服務及緊急服務，將會因而受到重大的影響及延誤；因此，為着遊行人士及其他市民的安全，以及顧及其他道路使用者的權利，警方只能讓遊行隊伍沿上述遊行路線西行全線、德輔道中東西行線及電車路東西行線前進。
此外，有遊行人士於銅鑼灣一百貨公司外不理會警方勸喻及警告，衝出馬路，佔據東行車線，他們的行為不但造成交通阻塞，亦罔顧自己及其他道路使用者的安全，並影響到緊急服務，警方須採取相應行動制止有關行為，以減低對公共安全及公共秩序的影響。
發言人重申警方尊重公眾人士表達意見、言論及集會的自由，但遊行人士表達訴求時，亦必須遵守香港法律和社會秩序。
Note that it's in Chinese, so I got a Google translate. Expect some gratuitous English.
Police spokesman said that many, nor stable weather yesterday (July 1) of the procession, but to get people's cooperation, peace marches generally orderly manner. Police arrested a man on suspicion during criminal damage, while a police officer was slightly injured in the performance of their duties.
The spokesman said that the procession slowly forward, is due to take the lead organizer of the vehicle refused to comply with police instructions, along with a very slow speed, and repeatedly stopped, nor the police repeatedly ignored advice and warnings, leading the parade ahead the speed, the use of this time is much longer than usual last year, the organizers take the lead vehicle from Victoria Park to Southorn Playground just about 45 minutes yesterday, it took about 1 hour and 30 minutes. The police are extremely disappointed and will keep legal liability of the person concerned.
Organizers asked for an open line of Hennessy Road eastbound for parade use, the spokesman reiterated, the ruling of the Appeal Board on Public Meetings and Processions in earlier police confirmed the arrangements. In addition, if in accordance with the requirements of the organizers, Hennessy Road eastbound across the board open for parade use, Admiralty, Wan Chai and Causeway Bay area of public transport services and emergency services, will therefore be affected significantly and delay; Therefore, as the procession parties and other public safety and consideration for other road users rights, the police can only make the parade along the parade route westbound across the board, Des Voeux Road Central eastbound and westbound and eastbound and westbound tram road ahead.
In addition, there is the procession ignore police advice and warnings of a department store in Causeway Bay, the road out of occupied East lane, their behavior is not only causing traffic jams, but also disregard themselves and other road users, and affects emergency services, the police must take appropriate action to stop such acts in order to minimize the impact on public safety and public order.
Police spokesman reiterated that respect for the public to express their views, freedom of speech and assembly, but the demonstrators to express their demands, must also comply with Hong Kong laws and social order.
Let me guess, Oriental Daily?
If not, can you source that please? Because quite a few Hong Kong newspapers are on the PRC's side...
edited 3rd Jul '14 8:26:00 PM by IraTheSquire
Organized Canine Bureau Special Agent
That's a press statement from the Hong Kong Police Force. It's from their webpage.
"Exit muna si Polgas. Ang kailangan dito ay si Dobermaxx!"
Is it? Interesting that a police report starting with "the police spokesman said..."
Organized Canine Bureau Special Agent
Don't know why. That was in Chinese though and I had to use Google for that. Perhaps the translation came out wrong.
"Exit muna si Polgas. Ang kailangan dito ay si Dobermaxx!"
No, I can read the original Chinese. It does start of with "the police spokesman said"
警方 = "police'
發言人 = "spokesman"
表示 = "said/says" (there's no past tense in Chinese)
edited 3rd Jul '14 11:02:12 PM by IraTheSquire
Organized Canine Bureau Special Agent
I don't why the press release was like that to be honest.
Also, I just have a look at the Hong Kong police force website (and yes, found the exact article).
You know what the funniest thing is? Normally all of the news announcements have an English version. THE ONLY ONES that DOESN'T are the announcements that involve the protest.
I'm not the only one smelling a rat here, am I?
Organized Canine Bureau Special Agent
You got me there.
"Exit muna si Polgas. Ang kailangan dito ay si Dobermaxx!"
Who Am I?
Nice detective work, guys.
"We learn from history that we do not learn from history."
Interesting to know. Thanks, Ira and Ominae.![[tup]](https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Thumbs_up_emoticon_3268.png "[thumb up]"){kind=small}
edited 4th Jul '14 3:57:09 PM by Quag15
Organized Canine Bureau Special Agent
Not a prob. I'll keep an eye out if the HKPF will issue more press releases.
http://postimg.org/image/gdjl5aemv/
The link above is a snapshot from an article of China Daily regarding Beijing supporting the upcoming elections as a means of backing universal suffrage.
"Exit muna si Polgas. Ang kailangan dito ay si Dobermaxx!"
I'll believe it when I see universal suffrage in Hong Kong.
edited 6th Jul '14 12:13:32 AM by IraTheSquire
Any updates? It's been pretty quiet since then. Have the protesters come to an agreement with the government?
Organized Canine Bureau Special Agent
Don't know, but they inspired this:
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/04/hong-kong-protests-mobile-game
This Kit Man is a man.
edited 30th Jul '14 12:32:44 AM by IraTheSquire
Organized Canine Bureau Special Agent
http://qz.com/246747/what-the-world-owes-hong-kong-and-should-fear-if-its-democracy-is-denied/
An analysis on the pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.
"Exit muna si Polgas. Ang kailangan dito ay si Dobermaxx!"
Organized Canine Bureau Special Agent
New news.
Occupy Central is planning another gathering if the HKPF doesn't give their consent. Some people (older ones) say that Occupy Central is a bad thing for the younger generations.
"Exit muna si Polgas. Ang kailangan dito ay si Dobermaxx!"
Let's just say all this bull crap about protesting in HK is only after the handover.