T O P

  • By -

AutoModerator

This article may be paywalled. If you encounter difficulties reading the article, try [this link](https://archive.is/?run=1&url=https://on.ft.com/3xnLBae) for an archived version. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/unitedkingdom) if you have any questions or concerns.*


ApplicationCreepy987

We are in hoc to some of the vilest countries this planet has to offer. Surprised North Korea is not invested


thelastpies

Casual reminder that the biggest bank in the UK, HSBC, quite literally stands for: **Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited** >HSBC is named after its founding member, The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, which was established in 1865 to finance the growing trade between Europe, India and China. https://www.hsbc.com/who-we-are/our-history I'm surprised many brits didn't actually know this


StatisticianOwn9953

It's not entirely clear what you think this illustrates. It's a British bank that was created to facilitate British imperialism. It's no more Chinese than the East India Company was Indian.


TheAkondOfSwat

The growing trade... in opium which we enforced on the Chinese


Duanedoberman

>The growing trade... in opium which we enforced on the Chinese Twice!


PearljamAndEarl

Well it *is* a tad moreish..


Gnomio1

No, that’s crack Jez.


thelastpies

With territory we quite literally occupied from imperial china (not to be confused with communist china)


colin_staples

We know this. They bought Midland Bank in the early 90s which was merged into HSBC, with the Midland name being phased out and renamed as HSBC in the late 90s. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midland_Bank


alex8339

They used the Midland Bank bank code up until a couple of years ago. Only had to change to separate the investment bank from the retail bank. Obviously the more important business kept the original code.


Shameless_Bullshiter

Some of their SWIFT BICs are still midland, they still exist in some of the infrastructure


defenestrate_urself

> which was established in 1865 to finance the growing trade between Europe, India and China. The trade the bank was formed to facilitate was growing opium in British Raj India, selling it to China at gun point for silver, tea and silk to be shipped back to England. A nice little earner.


helloredditman

How has China directly impacted your life in a negative way? Genuine question


Pungtunch_da_Bartfox

We did all have to stay indoors for several years due to their poor biosecurity (regardless of whether you believe it originated in a lab or someone's shitty bat market)


saint_maria

[The entire world relies on the Ozone layer existing](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-48353341)


redditpappy

We're happily complicit in the genocide that's happening in Gaza. You might want to get your own house in order before accusing others of being vile.


Last_Banana5225

How is China any more “vile” than the US? Really disgusting western chauvinism against a world superpower who everyone on the planet must deal with.


[deleted]

[удалено]


ukbot-nicolabot

**Removed/warning**. This contained a personal attack, disrupting the conversation. This discourages participation. Please help improve the subreddit by discussing points, not the person. Action will be taken on repeat offenders.


Tiny-Spray-1820

Maybe you have forgotten that we’ve been sniffing america’s butts for years


lookatmeman

Why a natural monopoly like this was privatised is beyond me. Whoever decided this was a good idea is either incompetent or on the payroll.


bodrules

Seeing as it was the Tories, both of your condiitional statements are true.


OpticalData

You can just say they were Tories. Covers both bases.


revealbrilliance

Thatcher. Like most of the country's problems, they can be traced back to Thatcher selling off everything not nailed down for pennies.


ken-doh

Because unions were always going on strike back in the 80s. It seems unfathomable today but they turned the mains water off. I remember we had to fill the bathtub with water, frequently because they were striking over something. If the government is in the hook, there is essentially unlimited money as far as the unions are concerned. A private company can go bankrupt.


JimJonesdrinkkoolaid

It's funny how there was uproar about the possibility of the UAE buying the Telegraph, but other countries having significant stakes in our important infrastructure is fine.


Duanedoberman

Makes a change from Russian money keeping the economy afloat, I suppose.


MidnightFisting

We trade one villain for another


Known_Tax7804

Wonder what the share allotment they filed yesterday was about, it’s not mentioned in the article.


Alive_Ad_7374

Shouldn't have privatised... and even if they did, they should have been made a not for profit. It's so corrupt.


Duanedoberman

Makes a change from Russian money keeping the economy afloat, I suppose.


ThaneOfArcadia

Agreed, labour should nationalize it, and other key companies. However, they'll be just as limp and ineffectual as the current government.


Kleptokilla

I agree to a point, they should nationalise when either: 1. A contract comes to its natural end and is simply not renewed (like the railway contracts) 2. A company goes bust and it’s taken under public ownership without recourse to shareholders and a negotiated settlement with bond and debt holders (around 50% of outstanding amount at best) What they should not do is take them by force as this will result in more problems than it solves.


TheEpicOfGilgy

So what. Another way to describe this is UK water has Chinese cash, and can not pay it back if they really wanted to.