From BBC (story and video here):
“Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters with British national overseas (BNO) passports now face a stark choice. Do they take the opportunity, now open to them, to flee to the United Kingdom and start a new life? Or do they stay and continue to try to fight for greater autonomy from China?”
Flight, if they don’t want to live under dictatorship, because there’s no way Beijing doesn’t win this fight. We’ve seen what China has done to Tibet, Uighurs, Vietnamese fishermen in the South China Sea, etc.; there’s no way things will get better in Hong Kong, and it could get far, far worse. If they don’t want to get stuck there, better leave while it’s still possible.
Yes, I know uprooting is hard. Very hard. I didn’t flee to Canada or Switzerland when America was under Trump’s calloused thumb. But that’s different, there was hope, and light at the end of the tunnel; and now we’re out of the tunnel. Such patience won’t pay off in Hong Kong, because Beijing will have less and less patience with any semblance of freedom there as time wears on.
If you’re in Hong Kong, get out. There are worse places to live than U.K. (e.g., anywhere in Africa or the Middle East). Seize the invitation while you can. It isn’t that hard* to learn Cockney; even Adele can speak it (but can she sing in Cockney? That’s the question).
Photo above: Police abuse is as bad in Hong Kong as Minneapolis. Video below: What someone means when they something “isn’t that hard.”
A small number of Hong Kong residents have a short opportunity to flee to the UK, Canada, Australia, South Africa, ect. Particularly if China intends to invade Taiwan. While not absolute China needs to control Hong Kong before any attempted invasion. [This comment has been edited in accordance with this blog’s “Letters to the Editor” commenting policy — Ed.]