Hong Kong people can try relocating to Taiwan or Singapore. Once gained independence like Singaporeans, many problems can be solved. China refuse to grant independence to Hong Kong and Tibet due to many issues
- Harder to control the border from foreign invasion such as the US and etc.
- Losing money making machine - Tibet sit on lucrative mineral resources while Hong Kong is geographically strategic for trading. If Hong Kong was Nepal then easier to negotiate. No one wants to pump in capital to develop a treacherous remote area without a guarantee on return. This is also the reason Nepal got left out by the Great Britain.
- Pride - Losing HK and Macau to England due to Opium War insulted their pride deeply. This psychological issue is too difficult to resolve.
Sadly unlike Hive who are in a virtual space, a physical move for Hong Kong will be very difficult if not impossible.
I think you've hit the nail on pride. Keeping face is such a big thing for the Chinese particularly when they think they should be ruling the world.