UK extends visa rights to 3 million Hong Kongers

[HVC]

800

Well to be fair...the old English eventually became Irish. The later ones not so much.

Yeah, I only counted the tudor invasion

[Tonitrus]

Someone semi-seriously suggested building a new Hong Kong in Lincolnshire. It's not the worst idea doing the rounds.

Ok new plan. the UK builds one of those artificial islands that China is building but about ten miles away from Hong Kong and put the new Hong Kong there.

I would say build it in/off Taiwan and then give Tiawan full diplomatic recognition. 

[Sheilbh]

800

Well to be fair...the old English eventually became Irish. The later ones not so much.

Yeah, I only counted the tudor invasion

Yeah - I can assure you that's not how it's counted in Ireland

[Valmy]

Yeah - I can assure you that's not how it's counted in Ireland

I can imagine. They hadn't even managed to kick the last invaders out when the Normans came pouring in.

But they were invited. Just saying.

[Josquius]

800

Well to be fair...the old English eventually became Irish. The later ones not so much.

Yeah, I only counted the tudor invasion

Yeah - I can assure you that's not how it's counted in Ireland

They are quite hypocritical in this tbh. No problem counting the Norman invasions as the evil English invading but equally no issue counting the Hiberno Normans as Irish in later times. An honour they never give the Anglo Irish.... Unless they're major cultural figures of course then they're given an exception.

[HVC]

800

Well to be fair...the old English eventually became Irish. The later ones not so much.

Yeah, I only counted the tudor invasion

Yeah - I can assure you that's not how it's counted in Ireland

They're biased and so don't count

[Monoriu]

Someone semi-seriously suggested building a new Hong Kong in Lincolnshire. It's not the worst idea doing the rounds.

Ok new plan. the UK builds one of those artificial islands that China is building but about ten miles away from Hong Kong and put the new Hong Kong there.

1. Artificial islands are extremely expensive, especially if you build it in deep waters.  Hong Kong is small but not that small.  Building a thousand square mile artificial island will be a gigantic financial hole.

2. 10 miles away from HK is probably still within either the territorial waters or exclusive economic zone or whatever from China.  They will not agree.

3. Even if you build it just outside the territorial waters of Mainland China (which BTW will be very far out), they'll go ballistic and react by blockading the new island.  That place will have no future.  Hong Kong exists as a trading gateway with China.  If it can't trade with China, it has no business existing. 

[Monoriu]

Hong Kong property tycoon pitches new city idea to Ireland
Ivan Ko hopes to find site between Dublin and Belfast to host 50,000 fellow Hongkongers

A Hong Kong property tycoon wants to build a city in Ireland to host 50,000 emigrants from the semi-autonomous city.

Ivan Ko, the founder of the Victoria Harbour Group (VHG), an international charter city investment company, hopes to find a 50 sq km site between Dublin and Belfast to create a new city, named Nextpolis, from scratch.

Ko has pitched the plan, which would include schools that teach in Cantonese, to Irish officials, arguing it would fit the government's stated desire to develop regions outside the capital.

Of six locations under consideration the favourite is a site between Drogheda and Dundalk, near the border with Northern Ireland and within striking distance of Dublin airport.

"We like Ireland," Ko told the Guardian on Tuesday. "Corporate taxes are very low. You have a very strong manufacturing and biomedical companies. Major tech giants have European headquarters there. Overall we think Ireland is very good."

A department of foreign affairs spokesperson in Dublin confirmed there had been talks with Ko but appeared to pour cold water on the idea. "Following an initial approach in December 2019, the department had limited contact with the individuals involved to provide helpful and realistic guidance about Ireland. Since providing this guidance there has been no further action taken by the department in this matter," they said.

Ko's original pitch – reported by the Times last weekend – envisaged an autonomous city for 500,000 Hongkongers over 500 sq km.

He drastically scaled that down after feedback from Ireland and other potential hosts, he told the Guardian. "We found out that replicating the Hong Kong model was not suitable, as if we were imposing something, and that Hong Kong people would be seen as segregated from the rest of the population. So we changed to another model."

The new version will follow the host's political system, said Ko. "We don't have a separate border or our own country – just a new city to let Hong Kong people live together and at the same time integrate with local businesses so we can maximise the benefits to both sides."

Ko said he hoped to lead a delegation to Ireland later this year, if pandemic restrictions ease, to meet local people and inspect potential sites.

Attractions included Ireland's low population density and Brexit creating opportunities for its financial services sector, Ko said. He added he was considering additional countries, which he declined to name.

Paddy Malone, a spokesperson for Dundalk's chamber of commerce, said the M1 corridor region between Dublin and Belfast could host such a city. "We would be ideally located to facilitate this in that we have the infrastructure in place to cope with an expansion."

Settlers from Hong Kong would enjoy fast broadband, access to three airports and seven universities and be able to commute from Northern Ireland should they prefer to live in the UK, he said. "If it's going to be accommodated in Ireland we are the prime location."

China's recent imposition of national security laws in the region has prompted many Hongkongers to consider leaving. The British government has promised to provide assistance and relocation.

In a Charter Cities Institute podcast Ko compared any such migration to those who sailed on the Mayflower to America in 1620. "We are in pursuit of freedom and democracy, which is a little bit similar to the pilgrims and the puritans who left Europe in pursuit of religious freedom."

The number of property tycoons in Hong Kong can be counted with two hands.  I have never heard of this Ivan Ko guy.  Real tycoons are members of Forbe's billionaire lists, and you can easily google them.  I think this Ivan Ko is more of a con man than a property tycoon. 

[Monoriu]

I would say build it in/off Taiwan and then give Tiawan full diplomatic recognition. 

A couple hundred Hong Kong rioters have gone over to Taiwan, and probably a few thousand (normal) HKers have moved to Taiwan.  There is actually some debate within Taiwan on what to do with HKers.  They have progressively tightened the criteria for HKers to move there.  They have problems that everybody else have, like low wages, housing shortages, etc.  A large number of HKers moving there causes problems for them too. 

And there is also the issue of Taiwan's internal politics.  The main axis of the political divide there is whether they want closer relationships with the Mainland, or a more distant one.  There is a substantial pro-China faction there, although they are undoubtedly the minority at the moment.  Taking HK rioters isn't a proposition they agree with. 

[Razgovory]

The number of property tycoons in Hong Kong can be counted with two hands.  I have never heard of this Ivan Ko guy.  Real tycoons are members of Forbe's billionaire lists, and you can easily google them.  I think this Ivan Ko is more of a con man than a property tycoon.

What's the difference?

[Valmy]

The KMT wants to be subservient to the CCP? Sure it does Mono, sure it does.

[Tonitrus]

The KMT wants to be subservient to the CCP? Sure it does Mono, sure it does.

I thought the 'ol KMT was the party that is snuggling up to the ChiComs?

[Zoupa]

I don't see how what's happening to HK will bolster the pro-Beijing side in Taiwanese politics. It's a clear-cut cautionary tale.

In any case the pro-Beijing parties have been on a downward slide for a while now. The CCP's attitude is probably the final nail in their coffin.

[Monoriu]

It isn't just about politics.  Taiwan's economy has not been doing well for the past decade or two.  The iphone factories are Taiwanese owned, but they are on the Mainland, employing Mainland workers.  Closer economic relations with the Mainland promise greater economic benefits for Taiwan.   

[Tonitrus]

So China is screwing them over on jobs just like we had been.