Why did Britain Handover Hong Kong to China? (Short Animated Documentary)

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anon
Why did Britain give Hong Kong back to China? TL:DW - It's because they didn't have a choice. What were they going to do? Fight?
Sources:
A Reward for Good Behaviour in the Cold War: Bargaining over the Defence of Hong Kong, 1949-1957 by Chi-Kwan Mark
Lack of Means or Loss of Will? The United Kingdom and the Decolonization of Hong Kong, 1957-1967 by Chi-Kwan Mark
Hong Kong: The Critical Phase, 1945-1949 by W. Roger Louis

[@MTGeomancer]

Can't believe it's been over 50 years since 1997.

[@dantifer]

When UK ruled HK, there is NO election. literally NO election! This is one fact that you have to remember.

[@karlstoner619]

good calculation 👍

[@ZKmadeit]

I’m hoping so dearly that this is supposed to be ironic or I’ve missed something in the vid cus wth 💀💀💀

[@imperators_8700]

@@dantifer better than elections rigged by communists

[@thyscott6603]

wat

[@VenomSnakee]

It seems that 50 years actually means 22

[@VenomSnakee]

@Czech Silesian Mapper The tiananmen square massacre

[@VenomSnakee]

@Czech Silesian Mapper It happened, also Xi looks like Winnie the Pooh

[@ahyan14]

Venom Snake I don’t know what calendar do Chinese government use

[@obiwankenobi4252]

@@VenomSnakee it seems to have worked

[@lonniemeredith4370]

From Lefty Land: "That's how math works, comrade! You divide 50 yrs by number of bullets available. Power comes from the barrel of a gun I think someone once said.

[@CJ-dw3dr]

Not many people know that Hong Kong originally was to be given to James Bissonette, but he politely declined.

[@shawnv123]

lmaooo

[@Zarafin]

James Bissonette can just buy China but he wants the global politics to be intresting.

[@PavltheRobot]

All you had to do, was follow the damn train CJ!

[@lour7299]

Who is this james chap?

[@gamaltk]

I hate that I can't share this joke with anyone lmao

[@anderskorsback4104]

There is also the fact that even though part of the territory had been ceded in perpetuity and the other "only" leased for 99 years, that distinction didn't exist on the ground. The British government had developed Hong Kong without regard for it, and the perpetual part would have been unviable on its own. The British government had treated 99 years as effectively meaning forever, because, hey, if we want it we can still keep it, what could China possibly do? In 1898, the notion that China could one day actually challenge Britain militarily over Hong Kong seemed very remote.

[@JSolisHD]

99 years is not awfully long.. Either way, 99 years or 999 years occupation of the Hong Kong Islands, it would still come to a disagreement and Britain would still need to hand over these islands back to China. The only thing we can question is, How strong would China be after 999 years.?

[@primalaidenlu4101]

China had nukes so Britain would have thought twice

[@GoldenSunAlex]

@@primalaidenlu4101 So did Britain.

[@primalaidenlu4101]

@@GoldenSunAlex yes but the Chinese had a stronger military and also probably would have got support from Russia

[@GoldenSunAlex]

@@primalaidenlu4101 Nah, the Russians and Chinese hated each other. And the chinese military isn't that great. It's largely conscripts.

[@sparrow7625]

1997 Hong kong: Go out you british imperialists! 2019:Hong kong: UNO REVERSE CARD -I usually do not edit comments. But if you want to go into the replies,please wear a hazmat suit.

[@queeny5613]

and then you see them flying the union jack

[@sparrow7625]

@@queeny5613 When i saw that i was baffeled

[@dr.vikyll7466]

@Dale Hanson Hong Kong belongs to the Cantonese or whatever they call themselves.

[@DamienWongHK]

We never really wanted them to leave, especially after 1989.

[@runnethdown]

@Dale Hanson >supports Labour >unironically shilling for the totalitarian nightmare that is communist China lmao, the memes write themselves fuck off bootlicker

[@sunburstshredder]

1997, and the British Empire...is dead. *thud*

[@WyrmrestAccord]

Man, I miss those intros

[@Sol_Invictus_]

Too soon

[@Gkokkinakis2]

Rest in peace british empire

[@crazyblock9093]

Not officially until Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands, Anguilla, Cayman Islands, Gibraltar, Falklands Islands, Pitcairn, Montserrat, Akrotiri and Dhekelia and the British Indian Ocean Territory are given away.

[@MrAlexkyra]

British Imperialism came down with a case of the deads.

[@maw4734]

Can’t believe I haven’t seen a single comment pointing out that the PRC emblem on the podium at 3:04 is replaced with the Black Mesa logo in red and gold

[@adamesd3699]

The name calling part is real, at least from the Chinese side. I was living in HK in the 1980s during those negotiations. As you can imagine, this was news item #1 on TV at the time. At one point in one of their meetings, Thatcher asked Deng “How do we know you will keep your word?” Insulted, he answered to the interpreter “Tell that fat cow that when the Chinese give their word they keep it.” The British governor of HK, who could speak Chinese, was sitting there and damned near had a stroke. Thatcher looked at him in surprise because the interpreter had left out the “fat cow” part. She could tell something had obviously happened but she didn’t know what. They played that part a hundred times on the news.

[@jagatdave]

Let us bring that video on KZbin...it will get more than 10 million views...

[@JoBT42]

In the end the Chinese didn’t keep their word…

[@adamesd3699]

@@JoBT42 They did for 23 years, which is actually better than many people predicted. They had actually tried to use a soft approach at first, especially to use as a positive example for Taiwan. A sort of “See, we’re not so bad. Come back to the motherland.” But when they started losing control in HK and being made to look weak, they apparently decided to take off the velvet glove and bring out the iron fist.

[@noirekuroraigami2270]

@@adamesd3699 Why should China give in to UK, when they conquered the land by flooding the area with drugs You know that’s why we call Asians yellow. Because people who do opium develop Jaundice

[@billpetersen298]

The keep their word part, doesn't seem to ever work.

[@Cylus024]

Weird....from 2:30 to 2:35 the audio cut out and my screen went black...

[@martiny.9366]

I have that same problem. Quite odd, indeed.

[@pepebeezon772]

Don't worry, absolutely nothing happened during that time frame

[@LegendNinja41]

illuminati confirmed.

[@coloneljason9094]

I have the same issue too.

[@aussieboy4090]

+ZefuqZ Mine didn't. I think you need to get your PC checked.

[@sviatoslavs.1305]

"Let's leave British Empire", they said... "It will be fun", they said...

[@texasborn2720]

United States "Let's leave British Empire"', they sad "This IS fun ", they said for over 200 years...

[@sviatoslavs.1305]

@@texasborn2720 I'll accept this answer.

[@Communist-Doge]

@@texasborn2720 Because the US wasn't handing itself over to some other colonial power (China). The US did well because it controlled itself; Hong Kong isn't independent. The UK did everything it could to guarantee Hong Kongers' rights. Even today, the UK protests to China when HKers rights are infringed, but the UK's current influence is minimal. Britain did what it could.

[@plainplane7580]

@@Communist-Doge Hong Kong is highly autonomous, and they govern themselves, so they're basically independent. Also judging how Hong Kong was left in high poverty and they weren't even British citizens, the UK wasn't that great about protecting the rights of Hong Kongers.

[@JB-yb4wn]

@@texasborn2720 US: Let's invade the British Empire". they said. "It would be fun." White House gets burned.

[@jsp7202]

I was living in Hong Kong when it was announced that the UK would hand the entirety of HK back in 1997. Many people thought Thatcher had betrayed HK but the truth is that Kowloon and the Island could not survive without the New Territories, they were so intergrated. Boundary Street, the border between Kowloon and the NT was not much of a boundary, the line the road followed ran through the old Kai Tak airport. As China was adamant that they have the NT returned there was no point for the UK to keep the rest.

[@3recleintion]

maybe they could build smth like a Berlin wall

[@jsp7202]

@@3recleintion That was the wire fence along the border with China.

[@nuraby_9228]

@@3recleintion And then what? Hong Kong gets their water, food, and electricity from the New Territories that would have been ceded back to China. A wall would have only helped China isolate HK and make it so Britain had to either take care of Hong Kong or give it up.

[@Bk6346]

Those people in Hong Kong who didn’t want to be part of China left in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s for other countries such as Canada or Australia. I remember a lot of Hong Kong immigrants in early 1990’s in my city but a lot of them have returned back to Hong Kong.

[@peytondrews703]

She did at least attempt to find some better ground for the area. Pretty much an unwinnable situation.

[@cocoflexme]

Loved the audio credits at the end!! unique and refreshing. As for the doc,great!

[@UwU-xk5cx]

China: we are going to take Hong kong, either you give it to us or we will take it ourselves Uk:well...I guess theres nothing we can do.... also historically that region belonged to china so I guess theres no problem Argentina: ohh so its that easy? I guess we will take the falklands the... Also Uk: *THE SUN NEVER FUCKING SETS ON THE BRITISH EMPIRE*

[@fodge5395]

The Falklands never belonged to the Argentinians in the first place but nice attempt.

[@UwU-xk5cx]

@@fodge5395 they belonged to la plata which while a Spanish colony was the predecesor of argentina, Hong Kong didnt belong to the peoples republic of China, it Belonged to Qing, a Manchu government

[@pipercharms7374]

Nice attempt but people on that ireland want to remain british, they DID have a referundum, 98 percent or 97 wanted to remain british.

[@UwU-xk5cx]

@@pipercharms7374 hong kongers too, but the respective state still claims it because they were part of the old predecesor to the nation (spanish ruled la plata in the case of argentina and Manchu ruled Qing in the case of the PRC)

[@jonliste2693]

People on the islands want to be British and Argentina invaded unsuccessfully thus ruining any chances. A Chinese invasion of Hong Kong from the new territories would not have failed

[@mijachin]

You know your career as a world power is over when you " Have no choice " XD

[@scbond]

@@unenthusiasticsalt2123 This is because the UK doesn’t call them colonies anymore.

[@scbond]

@Johnny Jackson Assume he’s from South Africa, which is odd as I didn’t see them in the list of the five most powerful nations (NPT).

[@guilhermeroyama8842]

Well, to be fair, fighting China is not the same as fighting Argentina. China at that point was already far more powerful than the UK. Logistics for a war in east asia would be hell too. In the end, it was the best outcome for everyone involved.

[@mijachin]

@@guilhermeroyama8842 Well China was able to accomplish what the Spanish couldn't, and what the Argentinians couldn't. So good for them

[@mijachin]

@@guilhermeroyama8842 Hahaha Brazilian XD

[@kzrd2r]

1997: Protests against British Rule 2017: Protests against Chinese Rule 2037: Protests against rule

[@TheCoolFever]

2047: Protests

[@60Minga]

@@TheCoolFever 2057: tests

[@crumpetgamer]

Recent reports conclude anti British protest were stired up by spies sent from Beijing, its even shown in how pro British Hong Kong people is now many waving Union jacks and looking to join the union which they should be allowed too

[@kentguiller]

@@60Minga W-wait, testes?

[@yoeltogarmikael3278]

@@60Minga 20100:ets

[@bloqk16]

A workplace colleague of mine displayed her strong identification with being from "Hong Kong," as early in my employment there I asked her what part of China she was from. She paused for a moment, then in a terse voice said: "I'm not! I'm from Hong Kong!" I was taken-aback from what appeared to be animated reaction from her, as she was a quiet person otherwise.

[@wongrudy1318]

No I am Hawaiian not American

[@kkho2198]

you wouldnt call a dutch person french, would you?

[@Bk6346]

A lot of Hong Kong citizens have relatives in neighbouring Guangdong Province. Hong Kong people speak Cantonese and don’t forget that China didn’t become communist until 1949.

[@hgos7211]

There are lots of Hong Kongers that feel superior and are racist against mainland Chinese people, and don't want be associated with them, even after the insane amount of development in the country.

[@samhwwg]

@@hgos7211To be fair, their development is only economical, and at the expense of slaving away their own people, and not systematic, like that of Hong Kong. Hong Kong was an international city, its laws and ideas are essentially that of the west, with a perfect blend of eastern tradition, it wasn’t called the place where east meets west for no reason. China on the other hand, is still the same China as it were 30 years ago, even though they got richer, their mind, thought and governmental philosophy is still the same old dictatorial system. There’s no respect for human rights, free speech, there’s no decency, so no wonder some Hong Kong people dislike being identified as a their northern cousins.

[@saeta]

To be honest, the British Empire was dead a long time ago even before this.. Most historians concur the Suez Crisis back in 1956 was the real incident, at least symbolically, that marked the end of the British Empire; in the aftermath of the Suez crisis was when the British finally had to recognized they were no longer a super power. And,even more, that their political influence was being surpassed by the United States and the Soviet Union

[@joeobyrne9348]

I think realistically it was before that. Declaring war on Germany in 1939 was the point of no return. The Phoney Victory is a great book that dispels a lot of myths (British myths) about that war and basically leaves no other conclusion than the second World War condemned the British Empire. Yes the Suez probably accelerated the decline massively, but it was on its way. The US made sure to strip Britain of all its assets, including taking gold directly from Gold mines in South Africa, before agreeing to the Lend-Lease act (not even War involvement) which actually gave British old ships not in great condition. But the British were desperate at this point and Churchill knew it. It was absolutely not certain the US would ever join, so in that sense Japan saved the British from total disaster by forcing USA into the war far earlier than was likely.

[@iche9373]

No, it was when the Empire joined World War I.

[@user-ip5yc7bg2k]

@@joeobyrne9348 Declaring war on Germany also bankrupted Britian and couldn’t maintain their colonies which lead to independence movements.

[@user-ip5yc7bg2k]

@@iche9373 Nope, they actually became stronger after that. New weapon technologies, Tactics, New, territories, Trade, Resources, Innnovations etc. Only to crash in the Great Depression and WW2 as a final straw.

[@iche9373]

@@user-ip5yc7bg2k Europe would have been more stable if the UK had not interfered. Germany could have won the war, and after the war, a European Community and a League of Nations would be established. The Empire would not have disintegrated, a pity really.

[@aussieboy4090]

Hong Kongers 1997: British Imperialists go away! Hong Kongers 2019: China go away! *Waves Union Jack* Diplomacy: Am I a joke to you?

[@mirzahamzabaig5667]

The thing is Hong Kongers are too late. China's main economic status has shifted away from Hong Kong... should have done it a little but early.

[@VELVETDEERAUDIO23]

@@mirzahamzabaig5667 the funny thing is, you rarely see young teens being pro Beijing today. People that were pro Beijing back in the 60s and 70s are the ones claiming China is good today. Yet now they are old and deceased mostly, and no longer the majority. The minority that were pro British in the 70s are now coming back with the young ones, not just because of their morals, but because they always supported British rule. And yeah I feel that void at home, as my grandma is pro British and democratic, while my mom is pro Beijing.

[@mirzahamzabaig5667]

@@VELVETDEERAUDIO23 I know that feeling. But I'll tell you this we have been British colony for over 200 years and boy the Brits were literal maniacs to us. Every person here has stories of their families suffering from British brutality one way or another and people hat that era and British colonization with passion.

[@VELVETDEERAUDIO23]

Hamza Baig true that brother can’t argue with that, every era has its own plague , I know this best as a history student.

[@numuves]

Hah you wish bro, only the terrorists wave foreign flags in HK

[@itzcolm8737]

Why do I find myself down a rabbit hole of these videos. They're so damn addictive

[@averongodoffire8098]

I’m amazed and fascinated by this little island who has grown such a strong identity

[@yingqin7256]

because mainlanders are rich more and more

[@Jba8179]

@Olivia Addison I think the original comment was referring to Hong Kong and not Great Britain

[@sr3093]

Shape and emphasize differences are Anglo Saxon's glorious "Divide & rule" tactics

[@miantao4162]

@Olivia Addison Do your industrialization have anything to do with HK? Nope. HK got rich because western world need to trade with China through HK.

[@moptopbaku6022]

@@miantao4162 Bollocks. Hong Kong got rich because the British introduced a rule of law that enabled international financial institutions to operate there safe and secure. Also, it allowed Chinese businesses to trade with the world, not the other way round.

[@damudkip2115]

*Official Petition to bring back 10-Minute History* Also, great video, as always.

[@r8rgtrs]

That would be awesome, I wholeheartedly support

[@attiepollard7847]

You must really want a war with China?

[@r8rgtrs]

@@attiepollard7847 Personally, I'll be good with just 10-minutes-long videos just like things used to be on this channel

[@Hannodb1961]

@@attiepollard7847 Well, yeah. History doesn't really matter unless at least someone find himself just a tiny bit dead ... And so.... WAR.

[@jonbaxter2254]

I really miss the longer episodes, love these too, but there was so much more

[@JonatasAdoM]

"Nor could it defeat a power half a world away." I'm looking at you civilization V.

[@Valencetheshireman927]

@Aguila -Are you sure we aren’t in the Stone Age ? 🕵️‍♀️🤔

[@stephenuhe9229]

Why doesnt the CCP just be content being China?

[@stc2828]

@@stephenuhe9229 Why are America sailing in South CHINA Sea like it's their backyard?

[@stc2828]

@@stephenuhe9229 If you always stand right next to your neighbor's property and stare into it, it is probably not illegal but you are really being a dick.

[@kityu1002]

​@@stc2828 because US got friends over there? Almost every country connecting to Chinese Borders by land or by sea are friends with US.

[@ravindertalwar553]

EXPRESSING GRATITUDE FOR THE UPDATES PLEASE

[@buttlicker7670]

Using red for China and red for the British empire wasn't a great graphical choice lol

[@penelopemurfitt6974]

Spain: Interesting, now give back Gibraltar.

[@ahpjlm]

wtf are you talking about

[@demon_xd_]

Y E S, also falklands

[@yamyam2987]

@@demon_xd_ falklands? Hahaha, no

[@demon_xd_]

@@yamyam2987 Why doesn’t it surprise me...

[@yamyam2987]

@@demon_xd_ simply because falklands belongs to uk. just remember that so you don't need to ask unnecessary questions 😉

[@imnotgivingmyname7502]

-2019 China holds up a sign and glares at Hong Kong “Soon”

[@penguinpingu3807]

Hong Kong exist In 2047 China: I am going to end this man freedom

[@arianas0714]

Tianemen square 2.0 Coming soon, only in Hong Kong.

[@arianas0714]

@Linnea the Prayer Ok, but how the fuck is this related to the original comment?

[@anthonyc4138]

@@arianas0714 lol

[@anthonyc4138]

@Linnea the Prayer socialist idiot

[@MFPRego]

The big diference between Macau and Hong Kong is that while Macau was given to the portuguese, Hong Kong was taken. The portuguese made an agreement with the chinese for 500 year portuguese administration of the island of Macau, since it was an economic deal for both. Hong Kong was taken in the opium wars, and the chinese always want it back! Thats why theres a big diference between Macau and Hong Kong handover

[@kkho2198]

thats not true. hongkong was ceded just like macau

[@richardschlange9629]

China never owned hong Kong. There was never any Chinese settlement on the land and they didn't even claim the land when the British settled on it. In fact the only evidence of humans on Hong Kong before the British was of some Portuguese who set up camp there once.

[@capnstewy55]

There were 3 groups of Chinese students at my college. The ones from the mainland, the ones from Taiwan, the American born ones, and then my one friend who was a British citizen whose family fled Hong Kong before the turnover that they all ostracized.

[@anobody7467]

That's 4 groups btw, and yeah the people of Hong Kong hate being under China.

[@emirvmendoza]

@@anobody7467 That one friend does not really count as a group, unless one person is now enough to constitute a group

[@anobody7467]

@@emirvmendoza lmao I was just messing

[@meekmeads]

You know spies...interesting.

[@kingpak1325]

One reminder: better not to refer us Hong Kongers as Chinese (and I guess the same applies to Taiwanese too) thanks

[@icrushchildrensdreams4556]

“Opium is like weed but it’s more Asian than weed” -god

[@USSAnimeNCC-]

Yes but actually no

[@fclp67]

weed is potato, opium is rice,

[@matthewhemmings2464]

I8pT Except opium is not weed, but more of a heavy drug used to make morphine, heroin and fentanyl and a load of other hard drugs.

[@germanyball1379]

420th like... Nice

[@michaelaleksovski6015]

Yet the strongest opium in the world is from Macedonia, which is in Europe, funnily enough.

[@jerryrgzz1571]

China and Argentina: Listen Margaret, I want this island that I claim and are willing to invade to get it! UK: Listen here Argentina, that is unreasonable and we will defend the island with tooth and nail UK: *Glares at China Uk: Perfectly reasonable, here is your island back, along with an apology and a slide of prestige. Argentina: Man does it suck to be irrelevant...

[@AeneasGemini]

The difference being that the Falklanders voted almost unanimously to remain part of the UK. Everyone there speaks with a British accent and sees themselves as British. The Hong Kongers on the other hand see themselves as more Chinese, in the end what the locals want should matter most

[@MrSniperfox29]

@@AeneasGemini Actually the people of Hong Kong saw themselves as, well, people of Hong Kong. Not British, not Chinese, but HK.

[@MrSniperfox29]

@@gamjyu5273 Presumably because the Chinese aren't exactly believers in those pesky things called "human rights"

[@MP-vc4nu]

@@MrSniperfox29 Doesn’t really matter. When Argentine invaded, it was the 80s. By the late 90s, China was in a massive power control along with rest of pan-Asia. In total, UK was not an international superpower by the 21st century, China, USA, etc are instead.

[@MrSniperfox29]

@@MP-vc4nu That is true, but I never argued that at all. I simply pointed out the people of Hong Kong don't see themselves as being Chinese which was the claim by that other chap.

[@oliversherman2414]

I love your channel keep up the great stuff

[@themackie2763]

So is no one gonna talk about the Half Life Black Mesa logo at 3:05?

[@evoluxman9935]

3:05 damnit black mesa, you again!

[@TacBans]

hmm yes let's cause a resonance cascade in Hong Kong

[@sviatoslavs.1305]

Let's confirm HL2E3 once more.

[@jacobduggan8008]

Britain: " Black Mesa can kiss my bankrupt arse"

[@czech_ring]

@@jacobduggan8008 Portugal: "Sir, the testing?"

[@Brownie-ms6sv]

Ultimately, all diplomacy comes down to which side has the biggest army backing them up.

[@daveboy1247]

Fuck the United Kingdom, Independence for Scotland and Wales.

[@axelpatrickb.pingol3228]

Military might is still a basic diplomatic tool...

[@BritishRepublicsn]

@@daveboy1247 why

[@emizerri]

Unless you're Iceland during the Cod Wars

[@gunsumwong3948]

No. You miss the points completely because this video knows nothing. The relevant data are (1) Over 91% population in HK are Chinese many of them were from China directly. (2) HK grows no food and depend on China 100% for food. (3) Between 70 to 80 of the water supply in HK was purchased from China (4) China supplied directly and indirectly 71% of the electricity need to HK. China could have HK back any time for at least 30 years before 1997 but chose to do it at the time convenient to the country. China never has to use force. Also HK's wealth originates from leasing of the land. When the lease expired near 1997 the commercial community panicked if the lease could not be extended beyond 1997 and the whole economy would collapse. That is why Margaret Thatcher had to go to China to negotiate a deal even China had flatly turned down any chance of extending the lease.

[@michaellondonxxx4860]

Margaret Thatcher once gave an interview saying that if China had wanted HK back early at any point, all they would have needed to do was switch off the water supply.

[@Jomonoupapjanmbliyew]

Thanks as always.

[@gurururuwarararara8164]

Binge watchin History Matters is only making me super aware of James Bisonette being #1 patron

[@psychohist]

I usually love your video, but this one leaves out a few things: 1. The issue came up in the wake of the Falklands War when Thatcher, in a rare unguarded statement, talked about how Britain would defend all its territories. She was evidently not talking about Hong Kong, but China felt it had to respond. Prior to that, China was probably inclined to keep the British in Hong Kong since it was at the time a valuable commercial transfer point, given direct trade between China and the West didn't exist yet. 2. The reason Hong Kong was given back was because it was not sustainable without the New Territories. Hong Kong got its water from the New Territories, and if China had cut off water on a continuing basis, the large population in Hong Kong would have had trouble surviving. No military action would have been needed. 3. The democratic reforms in the years leading up to turnover were largely to turn over a more democratic Hong Kong to China. It's doubtful those reforms would have been made had the UK been planning to retain control of Hong Kong. Hong Kong had worked fine for over a century as a Crown Colony, and lots of the population trusted the British governor more than they trusted democracy.

[@balabanasireti]

No one cares.

[@juandiegoprado]

@@balabanasireti I care, you ingrate

[@christopherzhou5361]

@@balabanasireti I care

[@acommenter]

>3. The democratic reforms in the years leading up to turnover were largely to turn over a more democratic Hong Kong to China. It's doubtful those reforms would have been made had the UK been planning to retain control of Hong Kong. Hong Kong had worked fine for over a century as a Crown Colony, and lots of the population trusted the British governor more than they trusted democracy. Britain wanted to democratise Hong Kong a long time ago but China threatened to invade Hong Kong had Britain democratised it, Chris Patten started the process democratising Hong Kong near the end of the new territory lease (which really pissed the Chinese off) because it was pointless for them to invade a territory they where soon going to receive.

[@jialikanji1326]

A monarchist? Cringe

[@EmsiYTs]

Fun fact: France actually had its own Hong Kong called Kwan Tchéou Wang which it actually gave back to China in 1945! Fifty years before the UK.

[@kkho2198]

fun fact: they did not give them to communist china the genocide regime

[@pbandj37]

I like that this is accurate enough that the Soldier is carrying a L1A1. It is the little details that make a difference.

[@itaybron]

Honestly i think the best think that could've happened (but no way in hell would) was for Hong Kong to be it's own city state like Singapore.

[@andreacapuano585]

@Tea Lover china puppet of india ? realy ?

[@Ulas_Aldag]

lol completely unrealistic. China would rather start world war 3 then allow the west to gain a foothold on chinese mainlaind.

[@itaybron]

@@Ulas_Aldag hey I never said it was realistic. But wouldn't it be nice?

[@IsAcRafT]

@Redsand a problem easily solved by creating new land (artificial islands) to build more apartments and housing with more acceptable space than cages and making spaces for housing underground just like Singapore is doing as we speak.

[@AzureRT456]

@Tea Lover Lmao

[@AverytheCubanAmerican]

They knew if they didn't, Hong Kong Island would lose access to tap water since it imported water from Mainland China. Now Pooh really wants to keep Hong Kong

[@Kerriangel]

Avery the Cuban-American I understood that Pooh reference

[@Puckosar]

You could always just desalinate seawater like many arab countries do. Although I'm sure the interstitial period would be tough

[@axelandersson6314]

It would be a good old mediaeval style siege isn't it?

[@SamAronow]

@@Puckosar Not for 8 million people. Israel has a similar-sized population over a larger area, and only a small fraction of its water comes from desalination- not to mention the environmental damage that it causes.

[@AdamSmith-gs2dv]

@MarktheSpark Yea but are they any better under the Chinese? If anything I'd argue they are worse off now with China wanting to take away any shred of rights they still have

[@janis2591]

I spent part of my childhood in Hong Kong before leaving in 1996. My parents were Australian. No one liked the British, but being a British territory is what made HK stand out. Hong Kongers never cared for the British, they were nervous about losing their system and their distinct identity. My parents were absolutely correct about moving back before the handover. They told me I was the final generation of the "Hong Kong child". They could not be more right. These days, Hong Kong becomes less unique by the day. By the end of my life it will be indistinguishable from mainland China. I do believe that in time Hong Kong ought to belong to China, but I wish that our distinctiveness would be respected, much like Scotland within the UK. I will always enjoy when people cannot pinpoint my accent. It is the old native Hongkonger accent that is heavily British sounding. It is dying out heavily. I am probably one of the last native speakers of it. The generations younger than me speak with a heavily Cantonese accent.

[@femboyskeleton9150]

it is a sad thing, Hong Kong as a city on its own for a time was one of the most interesting and unique places in the world, it's better this way really, but the people of Hong Kong will never really be the same culturally, but that's the way of things, some beautiful things can come from the horrific destruction caused by the British empire, but eventually they've got to go down with it too

[@jesusbermudez6775]

I tell you if something must upset Thatcher was having to bend on her knees and give back Hong Kong back to the Chinese. When one reads how through the opium wars Britain stole something that did not belong to it, I ask myself how could people be so shameful!

[@stairmand]

Also, the new territories and Hong Kong island had become intrinsically linked. Splitting them wasn't really an option either.

[@jeanbethencourt1506]

Sounds like a cope to avoid self determination.

[@somename105]

I read “territories” as “terrorist”

[@aiocafea]

i mean yea it would not be impossible to draw borders in the middle of cities, us humans have done that before but together with the shock of a Hong Kong split between British-owned territory and previously-leased territory, the new, smaller entity would also have to resist the might of the DPRC one example sometimes given is how The CCP might cut fresh-water supplies, and another way of China to show its disagreement would be to simply invade all of HK

[@gunsumwong3948]

No! UK can have the HK island but how do you feed the people when 100% of the food has to be supplied by China. Also the two power stations aren't on HK island. If China does play ball every British could be murdered overnight by the locals and London would not be able to do anything about it.

[@emmanroyhippy6859]

I was sipping my tea. Then the phone rang. "THE BRITISH EMPIRE IS DED" *NUW*

[@taiwan6691]

大清也亡了

[@aiocafea]

对不起、不好汉语 你是哪儿在太勤也亡了的时候吗？ 我当时在家、我喝茶。皇帝来找我 “大清被杀” “不是”

[@susballmapping9521]

The sun still hasn’t set, it’s still there

[@irohito622]

2:33 That is a nice drama

[@appa609]

Because by 1997 there was a 0% chance they were going to successfully hold the island.

[@sweeper1977]

@super spade China had ICBM at the time and it's Rockets program was led by Hsue-Shen Tsien, a co-founder of JPL and missile programs in US. So I don't think UK was on par with China in that department. Plus did you ever check the map. UK is a small island compared with China. A nuclear war would quickly wipe off UK on the map. The only hope UK had was the help from the US, but US was in honeymoon with China at the time because China's fighting with Soviet Union.

[@sweeper1977]

@super spade You are an ignorant idiot from a shithole place. It is not even 90s. China has nuclear ability from 60s and ICBM since 70s. The Hong Kong negotiation happened in the early 80s and that's when Deng threatened Thatcher into concession.

[@konstantinosanastasiou4851]

@@sweeper1977 Like the british didnt have Nuclean capabilities and the chance of a nuclear war happening over Hong Kong is dum and unlikely.

[@sweeper1977]

@@konstantinosanastasiou4851 Britain does not have the land to survive a nuclear war. Countries spend billions on nuclear weapons even though nobody will ever use them. It is called strategic leverage.

[@harleyokeefe5193]

@@sweeper1977 dude, Britain has nukes of its own incase you forget, their Arsenal is more then enough to obliterate China considering how dense it is

[@miguelpadeiro762]

Coming up next: Why did Portugal handover Macau?

[@schmoemi3386]

Coming up next: Why did Britain NOT handover Gibraltar? :-D

[@GCNuno]

Because it had no choice? :'D

[@lukatomas9465]

@@schmoemi3386 No, we need "Why does Spain still own Ceuta?".

[@stevenbobleyshire2191]

@@schmoemi3386 for the lols

[@filipemonteiro9142]

Because Portugal doesn’t have any nukes

[@victortrandafir]

3:05, Britain should've been Apperture Science

[@sviatoslavs.1305]

Good point.

[@bificommander7472]

"We do what we must, because we can" seems like a pretty fitting motto for the current British government.

[@Steampunkkids]

I had no idea that China now owns Black Mesa. I’m not sure how to feel about this.

[@sviatoslavs.1305]

@@Steampunkkids I feel confused about this. Like, they are already industrial superpower but if there's Black Mesa under their control... I've got a bad feeling about this.

[@Steampunkkids]

Sviatoslav S., if China acquired Black Mesa, and combined both of their technology, they would be quite a formidable force. But, maybe not enough to stop the 7-hour war?

[@DaisyGeekyTransGirl]

0:55 Wouldn’t have been much better back then but now that isn’t such a bad idea.

[@weebloser]

After almost 2 years I just now realized that the symbol for the CCP you chose is the same symbol for Black Mesa in Half-Life lmao

[@le_me5410]

Hong Kong 1997: Get outa here with your capitalist imperialism! Hong Kong 2019: BRING IT BACK! BRING IT BACK!!!

[@Gorboduc]

Capitalist imperialism is best imperialism.

[@Ake-TL]

@@Gorboduc doesn't it mean that you are the poor one( if you live in colony)

[@numuves]

Wrong, HK still remains one of the most capitalistic cities in the world.

[@Thatguy-ve4dx]

numuves are you a communist?!

[@writerconsidered]

Fails to understand that communist China turned to capitalism 40 yrs ago.

[@thatguynexus5935]

When Britain realizes that the lease will end with the PRC still in power: *Something's wrong I can feel it*

[@captainamerica4214]

Where was that profile picture taken ?

[@thatguynexus5935]

Khitomer Accords, Khitomer, Klingon Empire, 2293

[@shanecolechannel]

Nice half life reference at 3:06

[@kaitojordan6669]

Did anyone else notice the Chinese coat of arms turned into the black mesa logo? 3:06

[@MemestiffGaming]

My dad was born in Hong Kong in 1963. He lived in the Kowloon district in a one room apartment with 6 people. He immigrated to the United States in 1974 and now works for the Department of Defense :)

[@JohnSmith-ey6zy]

Hong Kong has interesting history and stories to tell, but, Kowloon walled city is in a whole different level, still though props to your dad

[@josehernandezmartinez8719]

Your dad did good, and had an interesting life.

[@evilpimp2475]

I just reported your comment to ICE

[@rolanddeschain5161]

@@evilpimp2475 I reported yours.

[@evilpimp2475]

@@rolanddeschain5161 Reported for obstruction of justice

[@maddogbasil]

China *"Fool me once Shame on me*" -takes hong kong in 2020 *"Fool me twice"* -turns around and glares at Taiwan

[@spe02001]

China take HK in 1997.

[@MP-vc4nu]

@@spe02001 Not officially. China was still afraid of European powers back then. You got to remember UK was in leagues with EU, but now EU is just all about Germany.

[@alberttroychan4264]

HAHAHAHAHAH

[@jamescriscuolo830]

Thing is though the US is set to protect Taiwan if China invades potentially setting up a full China vs US and it’s allies war

[@brianuyungele1583]

@@MP-vc4nu nah, China was not afraid of Europe in 1997 either. Otherwise, they wouldnt have taken Hong Kong back.

[@Crashed131963]

Keeping a City that's in another country is hard. Even we could not keep Berlin and Tokyo for long.

[@kittyluv2564]

when something is stolen, eventually you will have to return it

[@user-ne1tv3hb2k]

They haven’t given back any of the treasures they looted yet. It’s still all locked up in western museums. private Chinese collectors have to slowly buy it at ginormous auction costs to get it back to China.

[@linuxloi2388]

I will use Rob instead of stolen

[@sergeantscumbag2116]

Always love getting the email saying you uploaded

[@alexanderchenf1]

How did you get those emails?

[@sergeantscumbag2116]

@@alexanderchenf1 click the bell next to the subscribe button you might have to change your notification settings

[@adamgordon-boyle1560]

Really like when you post relevant history to current events. It would be great if you could make some more videos on the Troubles as it is now 50 years since it started.

[@Will-ck7hi]

That 50 years really flew by

[@kongr889]

@02:31 I don't undeterstand why handover-to-china has anything to do with the 1989 Tiananmen Square incident? The handover agreement was signed 1984 which was 5 years "before" the latter! How can future inciden affect it?

[@cursedex3755]

*Top 10 saddest anime deaths* ... yes it was indeed quite impressive....

[@luciusvernus3174]

F to pay respects

[@sdssdds8415]

@john wick It was artisanally procured

[@gimesibalazs2249]

john wick Europe in general was pretty good at writing unequal treaties for examples Versailles treaty... The treaty that china got i think was on the better end of the unequal treaties...

[@sdssdds8415]

@@gimesibalazs2249 you expect the losers of a war to get more or the same as the winners? That's not how it works.

[@stevenmcalister826]

@@sdssdds8415 but if you write a treaty that runs the losing country into the ground, then that’s gonna cause more wars. It’s called treaty for a reason, it’s supposed to stop a war.

[@sidneywoolf-hoyle3102]

In Wargame: Red Dragon the Chinese invade Hong Kong during the 1980s and the Commonwealth Victory screen is perhaps the most satisfying thing ever. "Hong Kong will be British for several decades to come!"

[@Latrine1999]

As much as I hate China, no not really, anything from the UK is worse by default

[@hanlan4763]

@MarktheSpark True, Honking and Taiwan belongs to mainland China, and other outsea theritories owned of British, they are just Tennant's of bloody colonian age.

[@explora4246]

HanLan well “Taiwan” was once mainland China, and still claim to be that so it does belong to mainland China

[@Marcusjnmc]

'.' a person making a statement completely out of context on a reply thread can be intensely awkward sometimes. Taiwan will not rejoin the mainland for decades if it ever does, such a thing now would be a humanitarian disaster. Colonialism has nothing to do with it, the losers of the chinese civil war reside there, the former government in exile & many others. When all the old men die of old age & many decades pass, Taiwan might choose to rejoin the mainland, but more likely they will form a new constitution as their own nation.

[@hanlan4763]

@@Marcusjnmc I am saying that there is not Hon Kong renmant of colonism age, it's all outsea theritories of UK, France, Portugal, Netherlands. And USA is still making RoC as puppet state.

[@kovichni]

2:11 "protest demanded more democratic rights". Well given the fact England never gave Hong Kong any at all when they could, "something" would indeed be "more" than nothing I guess....

[@justinng1274]

Britain couldn't. There was constant Beijing pressure since 1970s that any attempts to make HK more democratic or a dominion like Singapore would mean invasion of HK.

[@kovichni]

@@justinng1274 Quite sure the majority at the time was against English presence, the same with Malvinas which is why England only allowed a referendum after this sentiment changed over 2 centuries after initial occupation

[@ER1CwC]

An additional factoid is that during the negotiations, Deng made liberal use of a 'spittoon,' which is a little pot that one puts on the floor beside one's chair. He would aggressively clear his throat and then spit into it while Thatcher spoke. That sort of behaviour apparently really startled the British delegation.

[@ayarzeev8237]

Your attention to gun details in these videos is amazing

[@MasterBait1]

And the haircut of everyone

[@ayarzeev8237]

@@MasterBait1 I will have to look for that

[@timurermolenko2013]

Make something about Macau!🇲🇴 it's always left without attention as people focus on HK. Plus it was a colony for like 500 years - *since ancient times*

[@BALLARDTWIN]

500 years isn't ancient time... Balkans were under ottoman rule for 500-600 years aswell is that ancient too?

[@BertRussie]

500 years ago isn't even Medieval times let alone ancient. Ancient is like 1500 years ago

[@timurermolenko2013]

@@BertRussie its a reference to China used phrase "since ancient times" when they try to justify their territorial claims

[@Robisme]

@@timurermolenko2013 Like how they somehow own all the southern islands because there was a "record" of a survey 500 years ago. Including islands off the coast of Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippine islands. They are crazy.

[@timurermolenko2013]

@@Robisme they grew strong off of Western money. So, their ridiculous claims are unchallenged regardless of its absurdity

[@dhowe5180]

I recall another key reason for the handover. The water supply for Hong Kong and Kowloon all came from the new territories and mainland China. The Chinese had been selling water to the British administrators all those decades and they could have simply stopped the supply if they’d wanted to leaving Hong Kong and Kowloon dying of thirst

[@aesop8694]

D Howe. Accept the fact that the British had the shits when itcame to Hong Kong.

[@kkho2198]

for all the money we paid china we could have bought evian for everyone.

[@tiagorodrigues179]

The problem of "giving back territories" would have an series of events unpredictable, for example, UK gives back Hk, Argentina claims Falklands, Spain claims Gibraltar, Portugal claims Olivença and Galiza, Cataluna claims being independent and this could go on forever.

[@The_Copper_Element_Itself]

That is also why nobody wants to recognize somaliland

[@cutekanjii]

Yeah until the native Americans demand America back from the European settlers. You can go on forever

[@joemckim1183]

@@cutekanjii Then the dinosaurs if they're resurrected will demand their land back from the native americans.

[@Bk6346]

@@cutekanjii Europeans built up North America some have been living there for hundreds of years.

[@scorpixel1866]

@@Bk6346 Let's just ask all the Indo-Europeans to get back to the Caucasus and return the territory they got to the previous groups that survived the genocide. Greece and Basque are now the sole two European countries, half the middle-East gets vacated and India lose its entire Northern population.

[@jurvaneijndhoven8167]

I know you dont have that much subs but please keep up this amezing work becouse you're video's are just fantastic

[@olivercuenca4109]

It’s not often that the little figures look exactly like the real thing, but that John Major one looks pretty much perfect.

[@hathawayrose2183]

You could make a eight inch high model of John Major in grey plasticine and no one would be able to tell the difference between the model and the real John Major.

[@icellowhite9256]

This channel be dropping history bars. "Britain handed over Hong Kong because it had not choice"

[@qnikessay272]

1997: Protests against British democracy and colonialism; 2019: DEMOCRACY PLEASE!!!!!

[@edgelord8337]

No one is asking for it besides the teenagers who want to be "rebels" to much star wars for one day.

[@edgelord8337]

@Rick 1974 it was a joke a star wars joke about rebels.

[@triniboy775]

Hong Kong did not have democracy under British rule.

[@sausagejockyGaming]

andrew sparks they had more rights then than they do now hence why many hong kongers are calling for british rule, realistically under modern british rule hong kong would have FULL democracy just like in the UK and having Britain take control would be hong kongs only possible route to ever achieve independance as Britain would allow them a vote while china would not.

[@triniboy775]

@@sausagejockyGaming I personally haven't heard anyone calling for a return to British rule just more rights within China, I mean they are Chinese after all. If the British were not modern enough in 1997 to give HK democracy I don't know how much more modern they'd be now.

[@tannoy2427]

3:06 Black Mesa logo?

[@lucasatwell6846]

Yeah, something isn't right.

[@kick-S-ssh]

You should ask how did the British take Hong Kong from China!

[@-JA-]

Thank you.

[@fclp67]

"How to get a job" me: nah "Why Britain gave Hong Kong back to china" me: yeeeeeeeeeeeeet

[@hanlan4763]

Because it was never UK theritory, just colony made from Opium War.

[@harrypjotr4075]

Pfff! Who needs a job when you can know everything about history instead?

[@sausagejockyGaming]

HanLan actually the UK didnt take the land in a war, china started the opium war, the Uk won, china then gave the land to the Uk as payment which at the time it was nothing but a tiny fishing village then under british rule became one of the richest places in the area

[@hanlan4763]

@@sausagejockyGaming But it's still China territory, they gave it as payment at 19s. It was very long time ago, so, the war reperation was paid and it can be returned to China, mainland one

[@jasonpoon5723]

@@sausagejockyGaming China started the Opium war because British smuggle tons and tons of opium into China and sell to its populace.. A Qing official seize the Opium and burn it... hence thats how the war started.. British then Allied 8 European countries and Japan to invade China .. forcing China to Sign off hongkong to them ..

[@rs7563]

The British were known at one time for conquering enemies half-a-world away...

[@Pfsif]

Enemies, you mean people living peaceably just trying to get through life?

[@jakechinn6561]

It says something about the British that the only ones that broke free of Britian during it's golden age were British. In all honesty I'm happy that winning a massive world war for democracy and freedom was the thing that finally broke our back.

[@jakechinn6561]

@The Nova renaissance I mean the cold war really shows you how much of an alliance that was. It was needed to beat the big bad guys at the time.

[@jeanbethencourt1506]

@@jakechinn6561 tell that to the people that mopped the floor with them during the Battle of Cartagena de Indias or the British River Plate Invasions.

[@jakechinn6561]

@@jeanbethencourt1506 Right so the spanish who didn't break free just were never taken over. Pat on the back for knowledge just not quite what I stated was it.

[@rayrowley4013]

I like how so many of these boil down to 'They had no choice.'

[@prickly10000]

I love how the Independence movements were instrumental in making sure they would never be independent

[@handlesarecringe957]

"At least 50 years" Well we all saw how that turned out

[@jamesbenson2502]

Hehe, the Brits treat HK even worse you idiot

[@handlesarecringe957]

@@jamesbenson2502 And this is relevant to China failing to comply with their agreement how?

[@thinkingaloud5379]

HK is far more free and prosperous than when it was under UK.Most importantly,HongKongers rule themselves instead of serving their British overlords who were there to exploit only.

[@kraselwu3946]

It does nothing with the UK and the US ，right? China will never support the independence of Northern Ireland，however, the UK and the US have been talking too much about Hong Kong

[@saewonyi]

@@jamesbenson2502 What China did to crackdown on the democracy movement in Hong Kong is 1000x worse than anything the British did. And life under the authoritarian Communist Party will only get worse for the citizens of Hong Kong from here on out.

[@danieltsiprun8080]

Man would you consider finishing the history of Britain? i think the demand for the series has grown since you stopped making it.

[@LizziesLukas]

When they make this lease in 1898, I'm dead serious they thought the handover will never happen because of the long period it took...

[@agoodchow]

In 1898, UK was the giant, and China faced uncertainty.

[@edwardwong654]

The UK really had no choice. HK and Kowloon's water supply comes from the mainland. All China had to do was turn that off and it's game over without a shot fired.

[@aaraviii]

Why did Britain handover Hong Kong? short answer : it had no choice. " " " " long answer : *it had nooOOoo choice*

[@aaraviii]

@Ka Chun Chu lol why didn't they keep the empire then? Including the British Raj?(British India) because they realized that it is not possible anymore even if they wanted to.

[@aaraviii]

@Ka Chun Chu That's my point! They had NO choice after all.

[@aaraviii]

@Ka Chun Chu Don't think for a second that if Britain could keep it then they wouldn't.

[@lonniemeredith4370]

They actually had several choices. They chose the only Good choice.

[@MHLegacy]

Creative solution: If they hadn't recognized Beijing, Hong Kong (and Macau) could have been turned over to Taipei. Hard to protect? Why yes, the UK will happily keep a naval base there to ensure Communist China does not invade. The US and Australia could share the base and the combined danger of attacking an area protected by NATO powers, including one close enough for fairly quick response, might work to discourage outright invasion.

[@roadent217]

3:04 Why is Deng Xiaoping standing behind a podium with the Black Mesa logo on it?

[@ashdyna1844]

I noticed too! Though that's not Deng, should be Jiang Zemin

[@user-yf9ku1tl6b]

Maybe that’s how the resonance cascade occurred, the Chinese sabotaged it

[@harrison8151]

"nor could it defeat a power half a world away" *laughs in Falkands*

[@CAM8689]

china is a far different beast then argentina.....and china is even stronger now then in 97 the UK has no chance aganist china alone.

[@ashleyburns6752]

An interesting thing about the British Empire was the eagerness to put it to an end. The Portuguese and French in particular for example faught brutal wars to hold onto their possessions and France still has places like French Guyana to this day, whereas Britain swiftly got rid of of its colonies with HK the real end of empire. On HK, you have to remember that the orthodox thinking post cold war but even before it was that economic progress went hand in hand with social and political reform, therefore most believed at the time that China was on the path to being liberal democracy. In reply to some of the tools in the comments, Gibraltar was not a 100 lease, it was formally signed over in perpetuity, and the Falklands have never been Argentine and werent even in Argentine waters until the late 19th century after the Argentine civil wars and conquest of Patagonia. Both Gibraltans and Falklanders have also both chosen to be British in modern times, the latter having multiple votes. Spain, free Catalonia, stop supressing their democratic choice, Argentina, sort your economy out.

[@aesop8694]

Spoken with the arrogance and duplicity of a true British Pratt.

[@looinrims]

Sounds like a lot of cope, imagine saying ‘the Malayan emergency isn’t a brutal war’ (side note I love how all those wars weren’t called as such to make it sound better)

[@TurtleRailTSR]

From the map of Macau SAR at 1:54, I know that you did very hard on research.

[@CountScarlioni]

LOL. The first thing I said to myself when I read the title of this video was "It didn't have a choice in the matter." I should have just skipped right to the end!

[@TheMightofDab]

"Why did I go to bed when my mum told me to?" Same answer

[@Hope4Today9]

I think he left out a few very important key facts. That Hong Kong's government was part of the negotiations! There was even a vote (a public vote) to go back together or stay part of the UK. And it is in that vote that Hong-Kongers sealed their fate.

[@ammoniumphosphate]

I just noticed at 3:06 the Chinese emblem is the Black Mesa logo from half-life XD (I could be wrong though, China could have used that. If so then please inform :> )

[@99999bomb]

It’s a joke, it is supposed to have a tianamen square emblem with wheat and gears (I hate China)

[@Puckosar]

I've been asking myself this a lot the past few weeks honestly Edit: 3:01 Ha! That didn't last very long did it

[@tomso6922]

May I request for subtitles in video?

[@ZeepyOne]

Majority of HK land mass is on short lease and has to be returned. HK island itself is tiny and simply not sustainable - no water, no electricity, no food & no trade with China (main source of income as middleman)

[@kzg4716]

Protests in Hong Kong : happens History channels :

[@taiwan6691]

So you support HK independence as a british 🤣🤣🤣

[@taiwan6691]

You have made my day🤣🤣😂