Could the UK Rejoin the EU as a Special Administrative Region? Lessons from Hong Kong

An opinion article examines the theoretical possibility of the United Kingdom re-entering the European Union with a unique administrative status, drawing comparisons to Hong Kong's arrangement with China. It raises the question of whether the UK could attain a 'special sovereignty' status within the EU, akin to Hong Kong's classification as a special administrative region. The commentary highlights that while the UK is commonly called 'Britain,' this term technically refers only to England, Wales, and Scotland, excluding Northern Ireland. Citing Tim Marshall's 2015 work 'Prisoners of Geography,' it argues that geographical factors shape political choices, emphasizing that for the UK, an island nation, rejoining the EU poses a critical existential dilemma. The South China Morning Post published this piece, featuring an image of a projection on a cliff in Ramsgate, southern England, from January 31, 2020, the day Brexit became effective.