Moving Hong Kong to Ireland almost happened in the 1980s

Did you know British high officials were considering moving the 5.5 million population of Hong Kong to Northern Ireland in the midst of the Troubles? This information surfaced after newly-declassified documents were released from the national agency in Kew.

This proposal intended to move the Hong Kong population to a part of Ulster – between Coleraine and Londonderry. While this seems bizarre idea today, the advantage of this proposal would have probably boosted Ulster's economy and provide brighter future to the Cantonese speakers, terrified of going back to Chinese rule. As the 99-year lease on Hong Kong was about to expire, this strange idea seemed a practical solution at the time, considering the strong maritime transportation resources that Britain boast.

Eventually, the British managed to secure another deal, which became a reality, namely the "special administrative region" status of Hong Kong – a safe haven for democracy and freedom. George Fergusson, an official in the Northern Ireland office added later that "At this stage we see real advantages in taking the proposal seriously."

If this plan succeeded nobody knows how the economy of the "new Hong Kong" would have developed. Currently, Hong Kong enjoys excellent a reputation as transparent business hub in Asia. Contrary to the popular belief that Chinese influence will decrees transparency, Hong Kong has been ranked first multiple times as the World's freest economy and second best place to do business.

Even if the population did move, the economic success might have come true, as Ireland for example is a successful business hub, with a high standing reputation and transparency. Ireland has been ranked 1st in the World for encouraging FDI and is a permanent member of the top 20 easy to do business places in the World.

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Healy Consultants welcomes foreign entrepreneurs looking to invest in both Hong Kong and Ireland. To inquire more about Hong Kong and Ireland company setup options and schedule a conference call, email us at email@healyconsultants or call us on +65 67350120

Best regards,

Mr. Petar Chakarov

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Client Relationship Manager
Healy Consultants
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