[awkwarddaturtle]

> Even Thatcher (hardly a shrinking violet when it came to using force to get her way) couldn't get a deal to continue British rule in Hong Kong.

Deng actually told Thatcher that if britain didn't leave, china would invade HK and unify by force. Thatcher actually asked the US if they would protect britain from china and we said no. And that was the end of britain's hope of keeping stolen territory.