Blogsey,
You may have un-intentionally misled our Naval friend in one aspect of your answer regarding basings.
New pilots to CX would join as S/O's. CX do not permanently base S/O's. Therefore a period of time will be required in HKG; namely the entire time as a S/O & JF/O. The exception may well be if they re-introduce direct entry F/O's again. Those officers were hired directly onto a base. So assuming the traditional entry route, you should plan on 4 years as a S/O, and probably 1 year for JF/O before attaining the rank of F/O and being eligible by rank for a base.