The article notes:

>the city looks to the mainland for most of its resources.

So does Singapore, which looks to Peninsular Malaysia for most of its resources (water and food).

That's the main problem with that opinion piece.

Here's the real difference:

- Singapore was expelled from the federation of Malaysia by politicians keen to keep their racialist affirmative action policy. AFAIK Malaysia has no official irredentist policy when it comes to Singapore.

- Hong Kong is in no danger of being expelled from the PRC because the PRC has an officially proclaimed irredentist policy regarding Hong Kong.

Sure, the dependency on resources exists in the case of Singapore as well, but the ratio of military capability between Singapore and Malaysia is much more balanced than that between HK and the PRC (since it's 0).

The relative military capabilities of the two parties, like the resource dependency, is a side issue.

Kuala Lumpur shows no sign of wanting Singapore back because Singapore would significantly alter Malaysia's demographics and push for racial equality, which is not what the ruling Malay political class wants.

Beijing, however, sees every reason to keep HK. Not just the irredentism: have a look at the map and you will see that HK is on the NE entrance of the Pearl River. HK may not be as economically important as before, but just like Macau on the other side of the mouth of the Pearl River, it is of immense geostrategic importance to the security of the river delta region.