Yesterday I watched a Taiwan talk show online,(I prefer to watch the shows from internet one day later than that of the telecast because I can choose the topics I like and skip them if I don't like to hear those mumble-jumbles.) and I found the anchorperson and those pundits talking about the future status of Hong Kong.  The topic interested me. 

They cited the "Report: Hong Kong becoming mere second-tier Chinese city" from US Foreign Policy in which the report said Beijing and Shanghai had already surpassed HK in GDP, and by or before 2020 definitely many other cities such as Tianjing, Guangzhou, Shenzun, Wuhan, Chongqing, Chengdu, etc. will have been on top of HK as well. 

I didn't read the article, but those guys were trying to mislead the audience that it had been a Mainland's projected plan contrived in 2007 to make things happen that way.  Those guys even hinted that after having capitalized on HK's financial advantage as a window in early stage of takeover, Mainland China decided to discard HK like a jilted lover.  Those big-mouthed pundits further insinuating that Taiwan will meet the same fate as HK if it reunifies with Mainland.  Absolutely, but they were just evading the fact of cause and effect.  

HK or Taiwan is predestined to be marginalized, even it is still a British colony or an independent island, as long as Mainland regains her historical status.  People in HK and Taiwan must realize that "inexorably historical trend" is not just a piece of cliche, rather it is a veritable truth.  Nobody can stop it from happening, not even the US.