By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
JUNE 9, 2020 | With today’s Georgia primaries, the recent unrest and riots across the county, all overlaid by the coronavirus, a recent story out of Britain didn’t get much traction in the United States.
It was an invitation by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to allow nearly three million people from Hong Kong to live and work in Britain if China enforces a new national security law that takes away certain rights for the former British colony of Hong Kong.
While the United States, under President Donald Trump, is flexing its muscles toward China, threatening them in the usual Trump way, Boris Johnson has taken a more direct approach.
By inviting these former subjects to the British homeland, Johnson is showing compassion, plus a certain amount of savvy, in knowing how to get under the skin of the Chinese authorities. It must have come to a surprise to the Chinese government to find Johnson taking this route, when Britain has been previously worried about immigrants from Europe. That situation ended in the Brexit agreement, taking Britain out of the European Common Market, and giving Mr. Johnson and his country more flexibility in dealing with other countries.
Beijing’s continuing threat of taking away rights of the Hong Kongese, has been a dominating element over the last few years. Ever since the Sino-British Joint Declaration was signed by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and Chinese Premier Zhao Ziyang in 1984, there has been a threat of China having a more dominating influence over the previous Hong Kong colony. This has focused on the human, political and commercial rights of Hong Kong. Previously, Hong Kong had a high degree of autonomy under what was called “one country, two systems.”
Even long-time Hong Kong residents must have questioned just how long the Red Chinese government would allow the people of Hong Kong to have such a distinctively different status compared to mainland Chinese nationals.
Even under this threat, Hong Kong has continued to thrive commercially, being a world-class independent banking and commercial center. Yet all this rankles the Chinese government, itself intent on another form of government and trade, having to put up with an independent one that is powerfully successful.
Into all this indecision between China and Hong Kong, steps forward Boris Johnson with this unanticipated and innovative proposal. It appears that many in Britain agree with Johnson on inviting these 350,000 Hong Kong residents with British passports, plus 2.5 million others who are eligible to apply for a British passport, to immigrate to England.
Now if many of those eligible opt to apply to move to England, how that country would easily assimilate or even provide housing for them, is another question.
But the invitation has been issued. England stands ready to accept them. And this must annoy and confuse the higher-ups of China.
It was a distinctive invitation, made in good faith, which showed enormous courage and leadership. Hats off for Boris Johnson seeking to shake up the world again. There’s more going on in the world than problems in the USA.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
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