I HAD TO BRUSH UP ON MY HONG KONG HISTORY IN ORDER TO WRITE THIS LITTLE SYNOPSIS. IT IS A BIT FRIGHTENING TO ME SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE I HAVE WRITTEN ABOUT DONALD TRUMP POSSIBLY STARTING A WAR AS A DIVERSION TO TRY AND EXTEND HIS PRESIDENCY FOR 4 MORE YEARS. THE UNITED STATES HAS NEVER VOTED TO REPLACE A FIRST TERM PRESIDENT DURING A TIME OF WAR. *** FRIGHTENING ***

HONG KONG WAS A CHINESE CONTROLLED PROVINCE UP UNTIL THERE WAS A SECOND OPIUM WAR. HONG KONG WAS UNDER BRITISH RULE FOR 156 YEARS. THERE WAS A 99 YEAR LEASE NEGOTIATED THAT EXPIRED ON JULY FIRST 1997. HONG KONG HAS BEEN IN A STATE OF FLUX SINCE THAT TIME. LEO TOLSTOY AND ALBERT EINSTEIN BOTH ARE QUOTED AS SAYING THAT ” PATIENCE + TIME IS A WEAPON”.

CHINA HAS BEEN ‘PATIENT’ FOR A VERY LONG ‘TIME’. I KNOW I AM BEING OVERLY SIMPLISTIC WITH MY ANALYSIS OF THE HONG KONG SITUATION BUT IT SEEMS ONLY FAIR THAT THE COUNTRY THAT HAS BEEN WAITING FOR 100 YEARS TO REGAIN OWNERSHIP OF A PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT BELONGED TO CHINA IN THE FIRST PLACE IS VERY, VERY PATIENT. MAINLAND CHINA HAS CONSIDERED HONG KONG AS A ROGUE STATE THAT “SECEDED” FROM CHINA.

100 YEARS ? CHINA IS VERY, VERY PATIENT ! CHINA IS ALSO VERY, VERY SMART. CHINA HAS BEEN CALLED THE “SLEEPING DRAGON”. LIFE WILL UNDOUBTEDLY CHANGE FOR THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. HOPEFULLY IT WILL BE A PEACEFUL TRANSITION. SOME CHINESE MAY CHOOSE TO LEAVE IF THEY HAVE A PLACE TO IMMIGRATE. POSSIBLY, THEY MAY BE ALLOWED TO DO SO. SOME THAT STAY MAY NEED TO ENDURE MAJOR CHANGES TO THEIR LIVES. THE CHINESE HAVE A STRONG GOVERNMENT WITH STRICT LAWS AND REGULATIONS. I KNOW CHANGE WILL BE DIFFICULT FOR MANY. I PRAY THAT CHINA WILL ALLOW PEOPLE TO LEAVE IF THEY HAVE A PLACE TO IMMIGRATE. I AM CONFIDENT THAT THEY WILL FIND A SOLUTION. I PRAY FOR PEACE. OUR WORLD IS VERY DANGEROUS NOW. CHANGE IS ALWAYS A DELICATE TIME. AT THIS TIME, THE WORLD NEEDS TO EMBRACE PATIENCE.

ANOTHER QUOTE OF ALBERT EINSTEIN IS AS FOLLOWS;

***I KNOW NOT WITH WHAT WEAPONS WORLD WAR III WILL BE FOUGHT, BUT WORLD WAR IV WILL BE FOUGHT WITH STICKS AND STONES***

I think we have had just about enough wars and enough sticks and stones.

( and…. let’s walk softly and not wake up the dragon !)

marc