“The smart money in Hong Kong has already set up shop in Vancouver,San Francisco,Sydney or London.”
I was last there in 1991. The smart money was already in the process of leaving before the 1997 turnover. Even as a tourist the evidence was everywhere. Billboards, in the newspapers, rents were dropping because housing was opening up. I felt like I was watching history, and I was.
The rents went back up quickly. Housing cost in HK are astronomical right now. $1,000,000 USD for 350 square feet in Shatin or MaOn Shan.
Lots of people left and then came back. Now they are leaving again
In the 10 weeks between Obama’s election and taking office America lost 2 million jobs. Small business knew what was in store for them even though the NY-D.C. axis didn’t have a clue as to why. Hong Kong residents can only hope the protests spread to the mainland. No turning back because there’s nowhere to go.