| | | I wonder to what extent, if any, HK contributes to China’s numbers.
China’s problem is that it has grown too much, too quickly. It takes time to establish workable structures to handle inordinate growth. Politically, inordinate growth leads to hubris.
Plus, China has a history of very fractious internal disputes. If HK is a mega-Tianmen Square, tariffs might be a historical footnote.
It will take great wisdom to deal with HK protestors, but who is their leader? Who does Xi deal with?
And there is the ‘face’ issue. China cannot allow a colony to call the shots.
But once HK was allowed to be Freedom Rock, the die was cast. Freedom is a drug, the strongest one. Once it becomes a habit, it cannot be taken away, except at great cost.
Bottom line: CCP should relent, let HK be Freedom Rock, whatever the loss of face and political capital that may result notwithstanding.
The temptation to blame Trump will be great |
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