“course it was the lease. You’re saying it was just a coincidence that the treaty went into effect the day after the lease expired?! Really?!”
No. It was chosen because of that lease to be symbolic and the ChiComs knew it would give people like you the wrong impression.
It worked well.
UK thought they were being polite in bringing up renewing the lease and it would be good PR. Deep staters at work with their stupid ideas.
UK was under no legal obligation to renew the lease. ChiComs certainly did not say they needed to renew the lease.
UK deep state establishment thought it would be a PR ceremony and Chicoms would go right along with it. UK and China. Partners and friends.
Thatcher got so flustered that she fell on her face immediately after leaving the meeting where Deng said he’d starve Hong Kong out if they didn’t hand it over.
Do you think the treaty would have happened if the least wasn’t expiring? Would the UK have given up that 8% if they weren’t already going to lose the 92%
Of course you don’t. Therefore IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE LEASE. So stop being a liar.