[ethbro]

HK was a backdoor into the rest of the world.

Post-WTO, the Chinese are mostly through the front door without having had to change.

So definitely less dependence on HK now.

The British were still insane to give it back though. Say what you want about colonialism and how it was originally annexed, it was a strategic gem.

They fought a war they could barely win over the Falklands, and then they hand Hong Kong over as a gift.

There's no doubt China could have and probably would have taken it by force, but they also needed world acceptance a lot more at the time.

[vkou]

I will say what I want about colonialism, and there's no bloody way in hell that world should have, or would have accepted a military campaign by the UK to keep Hong Kong British.

Let's also not forget that the entire reason that the CCP is in power in China today, is a century and a bit of colonial rape by various occupying powers, starting from the opium wars, and ending with the invasion of Manchuria by Imperial Japan. Unsurprisingly, this lead to two nationalist movements, the winner ending up on the mainland, the loser in Taiwan.

[ethbro]

Not sure you can draw a line from foreign power exploitation through to autocratic communism-in-name.

Taiwan largely seems to be getting on fine.

And let's not forget they'd both be Japanese states if it weren't for American, British, and ANZAC sailors and soldiers.