Umbrella Revolution

[Oberon]

Meanwhile in Hong Kong:

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/77873000/jpg/_77873937_024102355-1.jpg

Sadly it seems like the pigeons released in 1997 have come home to roost, Beijing has been increasing its stranglehold over Hong Kong and now it's come to breaking point for the citizens of the city who consider themselves autonomous of Beijing.
Naturally, the PRC has activated the Great Firewall so there's not much chance of it spreading beyond Hong Kong, but the next few days will be telling for the future of the city and its inhabitants, and most importantly for Beijing, the trade generated from it.

Sources of information:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-29405576

http://www.reddit.com/live/tnc30xhiiqom

[Wolferz]

I see the Chinese aren't above using chemical weapons on the populace... or tanks. :-?

[Skybird]

Wasn't it to bne expected that Bejing would enforce its rule sooner or later after London gave HK back? Did anyone seriously believe that the Chinese would stick with their promises forever? After all, China's government form is strictly totalitarian.

[Stealhead]

I see the Chinese aren't above using chemical weapons on the populace... or tanks. :-?
You find that shocking? We are talking about the PRC might want to read up Chinese history something interesting happened there from 1965~1974 also in 1988. Also look up Tibet.

[Jimbuna]

I ask myself....when will the mainlands patience run out?

[Skybird]

They probably would prefer strangling python tactics this time instead of screams and drama a la Tiananmen massacre. Bureaucracy, creeping legislation, silent law making - the omnipresence of the pythons muscular body constricting more and more around its victim.

The only chance of Honkong also is the biggest risk: to push their protests more and more to make them be heard in and springing to other Chinese metropoles as well. Fear of this happening may make the party act either this or that way: either to give ground, which is against its elitist self-understanding, or to crack down hard on the protesters and killing the rebellion before it can spread.

Well, its China, it had to be expected that this crisis would emerge. Nobody should be surprised. The claims of Bejiong for control of HK in the future will not shrink, but grow. And in the long run, they will get through. If not this time, then one of the next times.

[Jimbuna]

The only chance of Honkong also is the biggest risk: to push their protests more and more to make them be heard in and springing to other Chinese metropoles as well. Fear of this happening may make the party act either this or that way: either to give ground, which is against its elitist self-understanding, or to crack down hard on the protesters and killing the rebellion before it can spread.



I personally think that if push came to shove the 'party' would choose the latter course...nothing in past history suggests any other.

[ikalugin]

I would assume that at least some members of the Chinese elites would view this as an attempt by the US to create a pressure point.

[Oberon]

I would assume that at least some members of the Chinese elites would view this as an attempt by the US to create a pressure point.

Possible, but the US has not historically had much in the way of ties with HK, if they were going to point the finger at anyone they'd probably point it at the UK rather than US...but, as we know, there are people who will blame anything and everything on the United States, just as there are those who do the same on Russia and China. So it can't be ruled out.

[Dread Knot]

I'm sure the US State Department would love to send in Kurt Russell, but he's gotten old and dyspeptic.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_hiseK5tP3XY/S8sKZA44wMI/AAAAAAAAAic/yfC96EJ7Mu0/s1600/key_art_big_trouble_in_little_china1.jpg

[Oberon]

I'm sure the US State Department would love to send in Kurt Russell, but he's gotten old and dyspeptic.



He was never the same after he came back from Abydos. :hmmm:

[Dread Knot]

He was never the same after he came back from Abydos. :hmmm:

Well, it's Hong Kong. He probably doesn't wanna go through the same Star Gate that Edward Snowden did. :D

[Herr-Berbunch]

We didn't just give it back for fun, the lease expired. Once again a government department didn't write the contract with any forethought to the future.

[Oberon]

We didn't just give it back for fun, the lease expired. Once again a government department didn't write the contract with any forethought to the future.

Force to force there was little we could do about extending the lease anyway, as Deng said to Maggie "I could walk in and take the whole lot this afternoon."

I don't think that Beijing will be wanting to Tiananmen the area though, it gets a lot of its trade through Hong Kong so really it'll want to defuse the situation as quickly as possible and then try again later but through a more seditious route.

Meanwhile:
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-29423147

[Jimbuna]

We didn't just give it back for fun, the lease expired. Once again a government department didn't write the contract with any forethought to the future.

Yep, the good old days of gunboat diplomacy.

If only we still had a gunboat :)