[godelski]

It isn't exactly easy to leave your country, family, friends, and entire life behind. The UK did make it easier for HKers to get visas and relocation, but I think efforts like this only go so far in practice. Not enough people want to leave until it is too late. Because, and it is hard to blame them, they hope that their home will end up being saved by the many people fighting to preserve it. Leaving, in a way, is giving up.

We should also note that with the growth of Shenzhen and other mega cities, HK isn't that important to China anymore. That's part of why they've become more aggressive in the situation.