If Reunion and Mauritius can make a go of things in the middle of nowhere I'm pretty sure the people of Hong Kong can do equally as well, with or without China.

If Reunion and Mauritius can make a go of things in the middle of nowhere I'm pretty sure the people of Hong Kong can do equally as well, with or without China. However, having a reliable rule of law would be the big advantage that Hong Hong can bring to the table as no one, not even mainland Chinese, trust the legal system of China. Particularly this matters in the finance sector where Hong Kong has plenty of expertise but it requires a solid legal foundation which Hong Kong now lacks. This can't be done overnight but Hong Kong should certainly start making a plan B. It's the only way they can expect to keep Beijing at bay.