alternatehistory.com

n recent years, a proposal from the British Archives surfaced in regards to the territoriality of Weihai during the 1800s. The proposals, apparently advanced by Hong Kong governor Sir Frederick Lugard, stipulated that the British would revert Weihai to Chinese rule, and receive perpetual rule of the 1898 leased territories of Hong Kong in return. Some believe that if the proposal had been acted upon, Hong Kong would still remain in British hands, but Whitehall does not seem to have acted on the proposal.
from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weihai

Suppose this had been acted on and China had agreed?
Would the revenue from Hong Kong amount to enough to defend it long-term from China? What sort of limit would denial of Hong Kong put on the economic expansion of China in recent years?

Frederick Lugard was Governor of Hong Kong from 1907 - 1912.
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