When six million Hongkongers were handed over by their colonists to a totalitarian regime

The Column I wrote for the 22nd anniversary for the "handover" of Hong Kong from British rule to Chinese rule. 

"Today is the 22nd anniversary of the “handover” of six million people by their colonists to a totalitarian regime. Although this sentence might make people uncomfortable, it is what happened on this day, and no amount of politeness can make this fact go away....

One may see this day as the end of 155 years of humiliating colonisation, a sad day as the sun finally set on the British Empire, or a grave violation of human rights. But beyond dispute, this is the day the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China was created. On this day, the former colony turned into a semi-autonomous city-state within the great expanse of the once-communist PRC."

When six million Hongkongers were handed over by their colonists to a totalitarian regime