LogFAQs > #962576106

The_Viscount posted...

First, it's LIBERALS stumping for Hong Kong and, more importantly, HK is a part of China -- a piece stolen by the British at one point. There's nothing to "take back."

Part of Hong Kong -- specifically, Hong Kong Island -- was occupied by the British; it was later made into a colony. The colony expanded to other parts of China, culminating in a 99-year lease from China of territory on the actual mainland. Hong Kong was returned to the PRC when the lease ended, after some lengthy negotiations.

I'm not as familiar with Taiwan's situation, although afaik it was historically a Chinese possession?

On-again, off-again. Mostly controlled by China from the late 17th century to 1895, when it was ceded to the Empire of Japan at the end of a war. Japan had it for fifty years, until the end of WWII when it was ceded back to China -- specifically the Republic of China (which very quickly resumed its civil war against the Communists). What was left of the ROC government hi-tailed out to Taiwan in 1949 when Mao's forces won mainland China. It's been a stalemate ever since; PRC vs ROC, both claiming THEY'RE the true government of ALL China, and NEITHER side wants the third option of a Taiwan independence.

Crimea was a historical Russian holding with a Russian-majority population. Other than maybe being in the USSR, I'm not sure Russia has ever had any claim on Ukraine.

Pretty much this. Crimea's became a part of Russia in the 1780's (from the Ottomans), and it remained a part of Russia -- including the Russian SFSR under the Soviet Union -- until 1954, when they formally handed it over to the Ukrainian SSR.