Its been two decades since the 'Hong Kong Conflict', also known as the 'Hong Kong War' by the United Kingdom and the 'Liberation of Hong Kong' by the Peoples Republic of China.
With the break down of the Anglo-Sino talks regarding Hong Kong due to Deng's hard-line opposition to the proposed 'One Country, Two Systems' and 'Chinese Sovereignty, British Administration' solutions. Though the UK government under Thatcher weren't very cooperative due to the pride gained from the victory in the 1981 Falklands War(1) against Argentina. This pride did make the UK less compromising, which helped to poison the talks when a representative of the Hong Kong Council was invited to the negotiations by the British delegation which was known to frustrate Deng and the PRC who refused the 'Three Legged Stool Talks'.
Talks would continue on and off without a concrete agreement. Hong Kong wasn't seen as a major issue by later leaders in the UK and the PRC was content to wait until the lease ran out which would give them de-facto control of Hong Kong through the New Territories.
This would boil over when the UK government, in agreement with the Hong Kong Council announced plans to hold a referendum over Hong Kongs future status which caused outrage from the PRC. Despite several demands, ultimatums and troop movements to the border by the PRC the plan continued until the day the referendum began when the PRC troops launched their invasion of Hong Kong, swiftly occupying the territory with the exception of Hong Kong island itself, which was garrisoned by a hundred British soldiers and was placed under blockade.
This stand off would continue for two days before the garrison received orders to surrender the island and board the arriving Royal Navy vessel. At the end of the conflict the casualties stood at 26 British and an estimated 100-120 for the Chinese
This was a humiliation for the UK government and a huge PR nightmare for the PRC due to international backlash which caused the halting of China's reopening which has only started to began again two decades after the event.
So what would happen if their was no Hong Kong Conflict, how would this be achieved and what would be the effect on the world in general?
With the break down of the Anglo-Sino talks regarding Hong Kong due to Deng's hard-line opposition to the proposed 'One Country, Two Systems' and 'Chinese Sovereignty, British Administration' solutions. Though the UK government under Thatcher weren't very cooperative due to the pride gained from the victory in the 1981 Falklands War(1) against Argentina. This pride did make the UK less compromising, which helped to poison the talks when a representative of the Hong Kong Council was invited to the negotiations by the British delegation which was known to frustrate Deng and the PRC who refused the 'Three Legged Stool Talks'.
Talks would continue on and off without a concrete agreement. Hong Kong wasn't seen as a major issue by later leaders in the UK and the PRC was content to wait until the lease ran out which would give them de-facto control of Hong Kong through the New Territories.
This would boil over when the UK government, in agreement with the Hong Kong Council announced plans to hold a referendum over Hong Kongs future status which caused outrage from the PRC. Despite several demands, ultimatums and troop movements to the border by the PRC the plan continued until the day the referendum began when the PRC troops launched their invasion of Hong Kong, swiftly occupying the territory with the exception of Hong Kong island itself, which was garrisoned by a hundred British soldiers and was placed under blockade.
This stand off would continue for two days before the garrison received orders to surrender the island and board the arriving Royal Navy vessel. At the end of the conflict the casualties stood at 26 British and an estimated 100-120 for the Chinese
This was a humiliation for the UK government and a huge PR nightmare for the PRC due to international backlash which caused the halting of China's reopening which has only started to began again two decades after the event.
So what would happen if their was no Hong Kong Conflict, how would this be achieved and what would be the effect on the world in general?