China not only benefitted Hong Kong in terms of the middlemen status you described, which made it the tiger among the four, China actually saved Hong Kong in many livelihood situations without HK people taking note to appreciate. China provided Hong Kong with low cost food stuff without which Hong Kong would never have had the capital savings to invest and develop. In the 60's Hong Kong's population was less than 4 million and it had water shortage issues, at one time imposing 4 hours of water supply once every 4 days!!! China engineered and paid for a water supply line, crossing over mountains, to relief HK of that issue, and by the end of the 60's, Hong Kong population grew pass 5 millions. These are just examples of China's grace towards whom they thought of as compatriots. The daily supply of goods and services spans the whole spectrum of gambits required for Hong Kong's developments. What did China get in return? Brown-nosed western-wannabes that take every chance they get to demean and humiliate Mainland Chinese people who happen to visit HK, even as of today.