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Originally Posted by Erethorn

Didn't you mean the other way around ? China benefited from HK mor than HK from China. Why do you think the Chinese government was so keen on getting HK back ?

And the most important reason HK continues to have a good economy is that it has different rules. Can you gues what would have happened to HK if the rules of the mainland had been fully inforced there ?! .

Yes, Mainland China benefited from Hong Kong's investment and expertise in international trade. But the main reason for getting HK back is to symbolically end the history of humiliation that China had since Opium War between Britain and China in 1840. Hong Kong was ceded to Britain as a colony under the unequal treaty signed after the Opium War.

Originally Posted by Erethorn

And why is gambling allowed in Macau and not allowed in HK or mainland China ? Gambling is good in Macau because it brings profits but outlawed elsewhere (I mean casino type gambling, not the national lotery). Would you call that a fair deal for the chinese citizen ? Or would you call it discrimination and double standards ? .

Macau had been living on the income from casinos long time before China took it back. The reason that gambling is still allowed in Macau is simple - just keep its economy as it is. The basic strategy of the central government for HK and Macau is to not interfere their economies and existing life style.

Originally Posted by Erethorn

But more important than any of the above:

WHAT HAPPENS IN CHINA TO A GUY WHO DECIDES TO SAY ON THE NATIONAL TELEVISION: "I THINK THE PARTY SUCKS" ?
THAT, AND NOTHING ELSE, SHOWS IF AND WHEN A COUNTRY DESERVES TO BE CONSIDERED CIVILIZED AND ASCEND AS A SUPERPOWER. nO FREEDOM OF SPEECH= NO CIVILIZATION.

Chinese people were not allowed to say something bad about their emperors in public or in private for several thousands of years. Of course, people started rebelling against emperors if their life turned sour. That has been seen repeatedly in Chinese history.

Freedom of speech is a western value. (I personally agree with this value). Most Chinese people care more in making money to improve their practical life than to say "I think the party sucks" on TV. To most of them, saying "I think the party sucks" on national TV might just be a "masturbation" (get discharged and feel good), but they prefer to have a "real sex" (seeing the growth of their bank accounts).
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Originally Posted by evilgheorghe

NU. Era vorba de sisteme functionale care aduc bunastare pentru majoritate. China nu este un astfel de sistem. Exista un trend. Dar tu speculezi, presupunand ca acest trend se va mentine pana cand majoritatea va fi multumita. Ceea ce nu e cazul deocamdata.

If you see the history of food consumption per capita and housing area per capita and average housing quality in China, you will draw immediately that living standard have been significantly improved for majority of people in last two decades. Majority will never be "multumit" , "multumit" is a subjective feeling. That is why history is still progressing.