Reply to: Up to 2m Hongkongers could move to UK under new visa

[xoggoth]

Reminds me of Blair's views on migration from Eastern Europe in 2004. Actual numbers were a mere 20 times greater.

[GhostofTarbera]

Up to 2m Hongkongers could move to UK under new visa

Asked the chaps from Hong Kong again on today’s Standup

One chap would rather do 3 years hard labour in Chinese labour camp (as better health care) than move to Uk and suffer NHS miserly


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[saptastic]

So do the HK follow Chinese traits listed below?

Spitting: in the street, shops, supermarkets, hotel lobbies, hallways, restaurants, on buses and even in hospitals. Traditional Chinese medical thought believes it is unhealthy to swallow phlegm. Spitting has declined considerably in more developed urban areas like Beijing and Shanghai since the SARS epidemic of 2002. However, in most other areas the habit persists to varying degrees, from moderate to ever-present.

Smoking: almost anywhere, including areas with "no smoking signs". Few restaurants have no smoking areas although Beijing now forbids smoking in most restaurants; Enforcement can vary but with the exception of Hong Kong, it most likely will not be. Lower class establishments often do not evenhave ashtrays. Western restaurants seem to be the only ones who actually enforce the ban so they are your best bet. Masks would be good idea for long distance bus trips. It is perfectly common for someone to smoke in a lift without asking if they can or even in the hospital!

Loud conversations, noise, discussions or public arguments: These are very common. Many mainland Chinese speak very loudly in public (including in the early mornings) and it may be one of the first things you notice upon arrival. Loud speech usually does not mean that the speaker is angry or engaged in an argument (although obviously it can). Full-blown fights involving physical violence are not very common, but they do occur. If you witness such an event, leave the vicinity and do not get involved. Foreigners are almost never targets in China and you will be treated with great respect provided you don't act recklessly. Noise means life, and China is rooted in a community based culture, so you may want to bring earplugs for the long bus or train ride!

Pushing, shoving and/or jumping queues: This often occurs anywhere where there are queues, (or lack thereof) particularly at train stations. Again, often there simply are no queues at all. Therefore, queue jumping is a major problem in China. Best bet is to pick a line that looks like its moving or just wait for everyone to get on or off the bus or train first but you may be left behind! Keep in mind that the concept of personal space more or less does not exist in China. It is perfectly common and acceptable behavior for someone to come in very close contact with you or to bump into you and say nothing. Don't get mad as they will be surprised and most likely won't even understand why you are offended!

General disregard of city, provincial and/or national rules, regulations and laws. This includes (among many other things) dangerous and negligent driving, (see Driving in China) that includes excessive speeding, not using head lights at night, lack of use of turn signals, and driving on the wrong side of the street, jaywalking, and smoking in non-smoking areas or defiance of smoking bans including hospitals, inside health clubs and even on football pitches!

Ha yes bad driving and disregard of jumping queues is definitely a thing - if you have been there you know.
But generally so hard working and well educated in HK.

[Whorty]

Insane. The last thing overcrowded Britain needs is another 2m people.

A nice prop for the housing market though Win-win

[Whorty]

Up to 2 million might be eligible to gain the visa and come here but only a tiny fraction will undertake that perilous journey. Hongkong is millions times better than UK, why would they come here, for damp cold miserable days?

I agree, flying into Heathrow and getting onto the Piccadilly Line can be a biatch .... poor, poor, people

[darmstadt]

So 600,000 Chinese are all going to come to the UK and create multinational hitech enterprises?

FFS go and read Adam Smith. What do you want an 30,000 word thesis? Innovation creating demand, do you think Jeffrey Preston Bezos looked at a computer in the 90's and thought, that's useless for making money?

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[darmstadt]

Do you have a yacht in Monaco?

Bet you think that all those yachts in Monaco are an obscene outcome of unbridled capitalism, without getting the subtlety of all those jobs that depend on it. Even the early Church realised this when the very rich started giving their money away, that unless you invested and created wealth it would eventually be all gone on the idle poor. They persuaded people not to sell their estates, but to keep producing (including keeping slaves) and just give a portion.

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[vetran]

Bet you think that all those yachts in Monaco are an obscene outcome of unbridled capitalism, without getting the subtlety of all those jobs that depend on it. Even the early Church realised this when the very rich started giving their money away, that unless you invested and created wealth it would eventually be all gone on the idle poor. They persuaded people not to sell their estates, but to keep producing (including keeping slaves) and just give a portion.

The point is fair, well managed capitalism is the way out of poverty for many but the top 1% do seem to upset those who cant reach that tier.

Interestingly (I hadn't really thought about this timeline until you mentioned it). Slavery (invented 10,000 years ago) came before actual currency (5,000 years ago) in Mesopotamia both long before either the old Testament (3000 years ago) or new testament (2000 years ago).

The History of the Man-Made Invention of Money

The Mesopotamian shekel – the first known form of currency – emerged nearly 5,000 years ago.

Note this is Money not Barter which probably happened on the 8th day!


A Brief History Of Slavery | New Internationalist

Western slavery goes back 10,000 years to Mesopotamia, today’s Iraq, where a male slave was worth an orchard of date palms.

The church which appeared later did of course understand administering charity & faith could be profitable. Whether they believed the recipients of charity were unworthy considering how close most of them would have been to desperation. Earlier religions may well have exchanged religious favours for goods or advantage.

To be fair religions frequently wanted to abolish slavery so that is a positive.

[Gibbon]

How do they create wealth in order for those jobs to be created?

Bet you think that all those yachts in Monaco are an obscene outcome of unbridled capitalism, without getting the subtlety of all those jobs that depend on it. Even the early Church realised this when the very rich started giving their money away, that unless you invested and created wealth it would eventually be all gone on the idle poor. They persuaded people not to sell their estates, but to keep producing (including keeping slaves) and just give a portion.

[Gibbon]

How do they create wealth in order for those jobs to be created?

FFS go and read Adam Smith. What do you want an 30,000 word thesis? Innovation creating demand, do you think Jeffrey Preston Bezos looked at a computer in the 90's and thought, that's useless for making money?

[darmstadt]

You're not really been serious are you.

There is not a finite number of jobs just as there isn't a finite amount of money. Wealth is created (sometimes stolen, but has to be created in the first place). These are the type of people who create wealth - ergo jobs!

How do they create wealth in order for those jobs to be created?

[Gibbon]

Won't they be taking all those jobs then so that contractors on here moan about the state of the market and not being able to get a contract?

You're not really been serious are you.

There is not a finite number of jobs just as there isn't a finite amount of money. Wealth is created (sometimes stolen, but has to be created in the first place). These are the type of people who create wealth - ergo jobs!

[darmstadt]

I have no problem with more HKers coming over, we might even get some decent Chinese restaurants again, anyone else noticed their decline? Yes 'some' may need support if they can't find work straight away, but given that the majority are tech savvy I don't see that being a long term problem.

Won't they be taking all those jobs then so that contractors on here moan about the state of the market and not being able to get a contract?

[OwlHoot]

I have daily meetings with teams in Hong Kong

Every single person would rather eat there own testicles than move here, one guy said guantanamo bay is above UK on his list

Reasons

Seen as racist
Housing
Food
Weather
Family
Drugs
Low education standards
Laughable NHS


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Phew, that's reassuring!

[vetran]

So do the HK follow Chinese traits listed below?

My experience of HK Airport 20 years ago was that it was spotless and very organised compared to most international airports, the staff were polite and spoke reasonable English. Smoking was forbidden except in an outside area miles away and policed by gentlemen with sub machine guns.


Remember China is huge and Hong Kong was run by the British for 200 years so its like comparing Texas with Vancouver.