Hong Kong Island was ceded in 1840, Kowloon peninsula in 1860, in perpetuity. It was the new territories that were leased in 1898 for 100 years. In 1840 there were 8000 people on Hong Kong Island a few more across the harbour but not many. By the time of the lease there were 650,000 people on Hong Kong and the Kowloon peninsula. They came to get away from the Chinese ruling class, in those days the Mandarins. Later they would come to get away from the communists, Mao remaining the undisputed champion of corpse production. There were very few HK Chinese that wanted to be handed back, anybody who could bought property elsewhere, the UK, Australia, Canada being the favourites. An entire generation completed its education abroad as they all held their breath at hand back. They were all drifting back when I turned up in 2010, they’re all leaving again now. Both of the wife’s school friends have gone, one to Singapore, one to Milton Keynes. BoJo is quite popular here due to the passport pledge. Frankly, I’m ashamed, firstly that we abandoned them and secondly that we originally limited the passports.
