Hong Kong's Great Exodus.

Hong Kongers are enduring oppression, and now they’re being given a ticket to freedom. The UK is giving a chance for millions to move to the UK, with an estimated 500.000 doing so within the next year. This is before Biden announced the US will allow HK residents to seek political asylum in the states. With China’s crackdown on freedoms in this territory, it’s likely that even more will take up this opportunity to look for a place where they can be unshackled and free. Nearly half of all HK residents have the opportunity to relocate to the UK, and more could potentially look to the US. So this begs the question, how will this impact the region, and the people who are leaving their homes, their livelihoods, and their past? Going back into the past, it seems quite Ironic how the British Empire used drugs as a weapon to leverage China into giving up Hong Kong in return for stability. And here we are, China using freedom as a chain to hold down the population and to draw them into a parallel with the ever-increasingly dystopian Chinese mainland. Though, is it really a complete solution to simply concede this historic & grand city to the government that has its gaze set on destroying its soul? Overall, these resettlement schemes are an outstanding show of humanity, however the culture cannot be so simply moved. In a more sterile outlook, the housing market of the UK is already holding prices at record levels, and encouraging hundreds of thousands to buy into it won’t do much to help. Furthermore, this isn’t improving lives for those who’re unable to meet the requirements for the visa, or those who are living in China, believing in the propaganda & messages which they may not realise are detrimental to their personal freedoms. By no means does this mean that it’s impossible to live a good life in China, far from it in fact, but does this mean the International community doesn’t need to condemn the government for its blatant human rights offences & of course try and improve the lives of ordinary people. Another aspect to consider is what’s to be left behind, is it truly Hong Kong if most of the people who once called it home are now having to seek brighter futures elsewhere? This seems to be something deeply troubling the Chinese Government; responding to the UK’s offer by blocking swathes of people from leaving the country with the passport which will allow them to move to the UK. This really is another level of control, not even allowing residents from leaving a place which is quickly losing the very thing that makes it special. On a side note, if Hong Kong’s sovereignty is fading away now, Tibet was lost in the 50s, who’s next? It’s looking like Taiwan is going to be the next target of China’s expansionist doctrine. Though unlikely, you can’t say it's impossible, after all, Hong Kong was once the most shining gem in China’s borders, and now it’s being thrown to the side, made to step in line. At this point, it’s clear to see China no longer cares about its reputation, the world simply relies on it too much to inflict any true punishment. Has China become too powerful or is this simply a product of globalisation looking for the cheapest source of products, and not one that looks after workers rights & ethics? It’s our time to make a decision; is this something we want to continue, or is it time for us to create a change that looks after the people of this planet, and not just big business?