Can Britain defend Hong Kong in a war?

Hong Kong is literally right next door to China. It's within artillery range of Chinese territory. Any attempt to defend it against the largest army in the world would have been absolutely hopeless, and would probably have led to Hong Kong being levelled. Even if Britain had won, it would have been a pyrrhic victory. read more

A key difference with the Hong Kong cessions is that neither Spain nor Britain wish to fight a war over Gibraltar. From a realpolitik perspective, compared to Hong Kong, Gibraltar is far more defensible, and Spain considerably less formidable. read more

The British had no intention of holding any attacker along the Sino-Hong Kong border itself, with the main defence line being on the range of hills that separate Kowloon from the rural New Territories. read more