Hong Kong used to be what was called a British Crown Colony. The city was under British control for over a century until 1997 when the UK handed Hong Kong back to China under an agreement that called for "one country, two systems." That meant that while Hong Kong was to be part of China, it was to have separate elections, free speech, the right to protest and guarantees of certain other rights for the citizens of the city. That apparently has now all come to an end.
There are massive protests going on in Hong Kong as I write this. Large numbers of students and others are blocking highways and causing chaos across the city through peaceful protests. The police have responded with the use of rubber bullets and mass arrests. The impetus for the protests was the decision by the Beijing government to only allow candidates approved by Beijing to run in the next Hong Kong elections a few years from now. Simply put, China is allowing free speech and free elections but only if the candidates and the speech is acceptable to Beijing. In other words, there will be no more free elections or free speech in Hong Kong.
It will be interesting to watch the Beijing government react to this challenge to its authority. I have little doubt that the government will simply bring more and more pressure down upon the protesters until that group is forced to surrender. Beijing does not care about "world opinion" if the ruling Communist Party is being threatened.
This confrontation could not come at a worse time for the leadership in Beijing. The Chinese economy is already showing signs of an impending slowdown. Disruptions in trade or foreign investment due to political problems in Hong Kong could make any downturn much more severe.
It is important that president Obama use this opportunity to America's advantage. My personal preference would be for Obama to announce that the USA supports the goals of the protesters, and we call for resolution of the disputes only by peaceful means. Obama, of course, would never do that. Still, at the moment, Beijing needs the USA to stay out of this battle. Maybe Obama can trade something for that happening.
There are massive protests going on in Hong Kong as I write this. Large numbers of students and others are blocking highways and causing chaos across the city through peaceful protests. The police have responded with the use of rubber bullets and mass arrests. The impetus for the protests was the decision by the Beijing government to only allow candidates approved by Beijing to run in the next Hong Kong elections a few years from now. Simply put, China is allowing free speech and free elections but only if the candidates and the speech is acceptable to Beijing. In other words, there will be no more free elections or free speech in Hong Kong.
It will be interesting to watch the Beijing government react to this challenge to its authority. I have little doubt that the government will simply bring more and more pressure down upon the protesters until that group is forced to surrender. Beijing does not care about "world opinion" if the ruling Communist Party is being threatened.
This confrontation could not come at a worse time for the leadership in Beijing. The Chinese economy is already showing signs of an impending slowdown. Disruptions in trade or foreign investment due to political problems in Hong Kong could make any downturn much more severe.
It is important that president Obama use this opportunity to America's advantage. My personal preference would be for Obama to announce that the USA supports the goals of the protesters, and we call for resolution of the disputes only by peaceful means. Obama, of course, would never do that. Still, at the moment, Beijing needs the USA to stay out of this battle. Maybe Obama can trade something for that happening.
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