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Hong Kong, not Belfast Kin Cheung

The British had a plan to move EVERYONE from Hong Kong to Northern Ireland

That’s 5.5 million people.

A BIZARRE PLAN to relocate the entire population of Hong Kong to Northern Ireland was considered an option in the uncertain years before Britain handed back the former British colony to Chinese rule, formerly classified government files showed.

Britain’s National Archives has released a 1983 government file called “Replantation of Northern Ireland from Hong Kong,” which showed British officials discussing a far-fetched proposal to settle 5.5 million Hong Kong people in a newly built “city state” between Coleraine and Derry.

George Fergusson, an official at the Northern Ireland office, was inspired by a university lecturer’s proposal to “transplant” Hong Kong to Northern Ireland — a move that would supposedly revitalize the local economy as well as save Hong Kong, which the lecturer believed had “no future on its present site.”

“At this stage we see real advantages in taking the proposal seriously,” Fergusson wrote in a memo to a colleague in the Foreign Office.

While it wasn’t clear if Fergusson was writing tongue-in-cheek, the droll reply he received showed that it wasn’t taken seriously.

“My initial reaction … is that the proposal could be useful to the extent that the arrival of 5.5 million Chinese in Northern Ireland may induce the indigenous peoples to forsake their homeland for a future elsewhere,” quipped David Snoxell at the Republic of Ireland Department. “We should not underestimate the danger of this taking the form of a mass exodus of boat refugees in the direction of South East Asia.”

An official scribbled in the margins: “My mind will be boggling for the rest of the day.”

Though outlandish, the idea illustrated anxieties at the time about the future of Hong Kong. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher began talks with China on the topic in 1982. Two years later, the two sides agreed that the city would return to Chinese rule in 1997.

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53 Comments
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    Mute Cormac Harrington
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 8:44 AM

    But the question is….were they Catholic Chinese or Protestant Chinese?

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    Mute Cillan32
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 11:13 AM

    Ha ha ha … Loyalists would have went mental !!

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    Mute Pharmyco
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 3:49 PM

    *gone mental

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    Mute Seaghán Corcoran
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 3:52 PM

    Doesn’t matter. They’re a great bunch of lads…

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    Mute Mick Bacon
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 8:46 AM

    That’s just Wong .

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    Mute D'unredactable
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 10:04 AM

    “Stick it in a Wok!”

    58
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    Mute stephen
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 8:42 AM

    Implanting people into N Ireland, the British have the tee shirt and worn tee shirt on that one.

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    Mute Julie Ann Lough
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 8:48 AM

    Lads, it was a spoof. It was even written on the documents in pencil. The original writer was just on the BBC saying he can’t believed the papers thought this was real even with the word “spoof” scrawled on it. As we saw at the weekend with the graph that went around about voter preference at Glastonbury , some journalists just don’t do their research anymore.
    Would have made for a very different 80s in the North if it had been true though!

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    Mute Seamus Banna
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 9:17 AM

    Sorry Julie I just say you post and saw that you were ahead on me on this one. You are right about sloppy journalism though, From CNN’s “ISIS” gay pride parade flag to the Charleston shooters New York Times “My Little Pony” hoax http://rt.com/usa/269185-roof-charleston-hoax-pony/ it just goes to show that the days of actually confirming leads is gone. Fair enough everyone can make a mistake but healthy skepticism seems to have been over taken by lazy gullibility.

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    Mute Lorcan Bosanquet
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 10:12 AM

    I’m just glad we have you guys on that wall, keeping us aware of and safe from humourously insincere and ironic journalism. Please continue to be publicly indignant and sanctimonious about journalistic standards when you see a funny article which is more than likely based upon a falsehood, for without you we would all remain foolishishly ignorant.

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    Mute calvin
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 11:52 AM

    They are right to point it out, the level of journalism shown nowadays can be ridiculous. They presented this as a fact based news Item. There are many, better places to go if we want to laugh at made up news stories, the wonderful Waterford Whispers for one.

    I don’t really understand the point you are making

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    Mute Noel Falkhall
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 7:23 PM

    What’s a journalist?

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    Mute KevinMunster
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 8:42 AM

    Only the Brits would come up with something like this, strange people

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    Mute Conor O'Neill
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 9:00 AM

    They did it before . Plantation of 1600′s

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    Mute Martin Critten
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 9:52 AM

    whenever there is a catastrophe looming everything is up for discussion, whether you act is another matter entirely. Looks like this ‘boffins’ loopy idea was turned down. But I’ve heard ‘boffins’ saying if the Euro crashes then linking back to sterling would be an option to take seriously! Doesn’t mean we’re all getting married to Brits, but that does happen.

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    Mute Bill Madden
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 10:44 AM

    Not so strange, let’s face it someone thinks it’s great idea to put tens of thousands of of Africans and Asians/Arabs in every city and town in Ireland the largest influx since the Plantations!!!

    With many more on the way courtesy of the EU!!!! There are thousands more waiting in France to cross the channel for UK, and many on to Ireland via Belfast!

    To be RESETTLED here!

    Not a peep from ANY of our public elected representatives?????

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    Mute Paddy Obrien
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 5:42 PM

    @conor. Correct but the present day wimpy Orish don’t talk about that subject they think that the lords an masters might take offence…as if the present day Brits even cared, but the slave gene is deeply imbedded in the souls of the peasantry they can’t help it

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    Mute Alan McGrane
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 8:42 AM

    The Chinese a great bunch of lads…

    189
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    Mute Vincent Van Gogh
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 8:38 AM

    Mental.

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    Mute Eamon Mac Gowan
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 4:20 PM

    Vincent Van Gogh
    Mental, really? We now have 600,000 foreigners here, and wait until all the Mediterranean crossers arrive.

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    Mute Paddy Obrien
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 5:35 PM

    Well a half idiot would have seen through this yarn….can’t understand how this could have taken wings.

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    Mute Goldberg
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 8:47 AM

    That’s some take away order

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    Mute Tony Skillington
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 9:22 AM

    Paisley would have had a fkn stroke..

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    Mute Freebetcitydcom Mike
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 8:49 AM

    id rather hongkongderry than London derry all the same. If they could do this then they can give us the scots who voted yes to independence and transplant then with the kerb painters up above – everyone’s a winner

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    Mute Seamus Banna
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 9:12 AM

    Obviously the Associated Press of theJournal don’t have access to Google

    http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-33361999 “National Archives reveal Hong Kong-to-NI ‘spoof’”

    I mean seriously did it not occur to anyone that such a plan was so absolutely mental that it had to have been a joke?

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    Mute Eamon Mac Gowan
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 4:22 PM

    Joke? Where’s the punchline?

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    Mute Shane Kinsella
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 8:56 AM

    Cause it worked so well the first time !

    78
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    Mute Supes Kz
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 10:06 AM

    Long overdue that they handed back Irelands 6 counties also. They are like a nation of biffs from back to the future.

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    Mute Seamus Banna
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 9:28 AM

    Shouting ” 我們的日子會來” (Wǒmen de rìzi huì lái) just doesn’t have the same ring to it as “Tiocfaidh ar la”
    On the other hand if Gregory Campbell had a problem with the Irish language could you imagine him trying to pronounce “Thank you Speaker” in Chinese! “谢谢音箱” (Xièxiè yīnxiāng)

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    Mute Elma Phudd
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 9:54 AM

    That’s Mandarin I’m afraid.

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    Mute phil
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 9:48 AM

    You spelt Derry wrong.

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    Mute Eoin Milner
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 8:42 AM

    That’s crazy!!

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    Mute james
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 8:58 AM

    Police are investigating a punishment beating carried out by the Sandy Row Triads does sound pretty cool.

    47
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    Mute Larry Doherty
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 10:28 AM

    Auld Thatcher knew when not to pick a fight. Facing down the Chinese was a wee bit different from shooting a few Irish Republicans or Argentines or beating the miners off the streets.

    Looks like she was lucky twice!

    47
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    Mute Rodger 5
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 9:09 AM

    Not so “far-fetched”, they did it before with astounding results.

    34
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    Mute Robin Pickering
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 8:47 AM

    We’d have made a fortune selling them proper food. You’d be starving an hour after a Chinese meal. 5.5 million batter burgers and curry cheese chips.

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    Mute China Photo Daily
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 9:05 AM

    Cantonese food is outrageously good. They would have made a fortune selling us real Chinese food, not the muck that they sell over here passing as Chinese cuisine.

    105
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    Mute Lindy
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 9:33 AM

    Curry cheese chips…. to quote a former poster….. that’s just wong!

    23
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    Mute Terry Ghee
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 8:48 AM

    That is about the most insane idea I have ever heard. The person who suggested that should, as they say in Belfast, ‘hit a reddener’!

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    Mute Shane
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 11:12 AM

    Rather be ruled by UK than the diddering Mayo Mussolini and his German overlords.

    16
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    Mute David
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 1:30 PM

    …episodes of eastenders…n’ satellites in the sky

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    Mute calvin
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 2:42 PM

    Come one now, Mussolini was very intelligent, Kenny was looking for the toilet when he signed up to be a politician.

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    Mute Rob Mahony
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 10:41 AM

    Michael Martin would have loved it. He’d perfect his accent in no time.

    15
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    Mute B-Egan
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 10:35 AM

    The quality coke intake was through the bar graph that night.

    13
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    Mute Mark Gerard Lochlain
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 10:22 AM

    The boat people of the Lagan!!! I can see it now!!!

    12
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    Mute Juan Franc
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 1:37 PM

    Any new city will need a few traditional unionist marching routes.

    11
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    Mute Jenny
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 1:05 PM

    today the guy says it was a joke and the irish have no sense of humour.

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    Mute Damo™
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 11:24 AM

    The Chinese…..A great bunch of lads

    6
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    Mute Timmy Og Daly
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 10:52 AM

    between Coleraine and Derry, that would have been quite literally on my doorstep, how different life could have been!

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    Mute Micheal S. O' Ceilleachair
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 9:34 AM

    The new city could be called Huflungdung!

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    Mute Juan Venegas
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 1:12 PM

    Well look, they were British citizens at the time, same as an English man, they were free to relocate to Northern Ireland anyway if they wanted to. it comes with the perks of being a British Citizen from the British Empire, they are all indigenous and there is no “my land” within the UK. That wouldn’t happen in Ireland because we are a free sovereign society.

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    Mute David
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 1:27 PM

    on an island.

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    Mute Derry Seery
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    Jul 3rd 2015, 4:20 PM

    That hashtag though!!

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