‘A Form of Brainwashing’: China Remakes Hong Kong

I was playing with the thought experiment... "If china became a democracy overnight, would Hong Kong's fate be any different?"

What China is trying to do in Hong Kong has wide national support. It is upsetting to foreigners, and obviously Hong Kongers as they lose a lot of perceived self determination. But the writing was on the wall in 97 wasn't it?

Orwellian. What can you do when anyone may be a snitch to free thought?