I personally thought the ease with which Hong Kong and Macau were given back to China, sent a very poor signal to them.
China should have every reason to think that whatever it demands, it will get. It rattles it’s sabers, and everyone falls in line.
At some point we’re going to have to say no to China. A few more of these exchanges, and Taiwan will be the demand “NOW!”
And on it goes, us financing China’s rise.
There has never been a nation on earth, that built up it’s number one enemy in such short order.
We deserve what we get.
Hong Kong and Macau were leased for 100 years.
the broke portuguese and the nearly broke uk weren’t going
to hold those territories in the face of prc resistance.
seriously what else would one think the brits would have done
when they could barely hold onto the falklands against a somewhat lesser opponent?