I wonder if China is sneaking these changes in during COVID because the pandemic has everyone else distracted. Either way, it’s terribly sad. I love HK and China is killing what’s great about the place.
Given the world’s muted reaction to Beijing’s hard-handed tactics pre-COVID, it’s difficult to imagine they played a significant role here.
China is not so easy to keep united, there are a ton of varied and potentially conflicting interests. Easy to keep conflict down when the pie is growing for everyone, much more difficult when the economy is falling apart at the seams and the US is beginning to get scared of how big you are getting and starting to close its market to your exports...
We'll see how they manage it, based on early returns it is is looking to be ugly. Xi is ramping up the nationalist rhetoric and burning down any soft power they've built up with the West in the process. The violent language towards "rogue provinces" is increasing, they are churning up the populace with anger and hoping it stays channeled externally.
If people demonstrate, the tools needed for public health can be used to silence the voice of the people.
It is a cowardly move to permanently alter governmental fundamentals during a time of crisis.
Personally I think Xi messed up igniting this thing when he was legally going to get hong kong if he just waited patiently. He lost a lot of face, and now is facing american repercussions for pushing harder on hong kong :/
People like to attribute wisdom to those who have power but, tbh, acquisition of political power is a weak signal on leadership competence
Massive inequality and the lower class literally living in cages?
Okay, that was rude, but I have a feeling that what is driving most of what's great about it (almost unparalleled economic freedom being that driver) leads to that outcome. The vibrant cultural scene etc is a side effect of that inequality and the riches it provides to the upper class.
What in the world does the US being in the South China Sea have to do with the topic at hand: China sending their secret police into Hong Kong to "police" the protest movement (ie. detain and disappear people with impunity).
This knee-jerk reaction to complain about America every time China's misdeeds are reported on is growing tiresome.
I'm not saying people shouldn't worry about both, but if you're wondering why people are saying "but America" I'd guess that is the main reason.
The super powers are clearly aiming for a larger confrontation at this point.
If you want context to the particular change, look at neighbouring Macau where apparently it has been law for more than 10 years:
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3085725...
Two Sessions, two cities: what can Hong Kong learn from Macau’s experience of national security legislation?