The violent demonstrations in Hong Kong that have been a regular feature of news bulletins these last few months have taken on a much more ominous aspect. The Chinese government has given notice of its intention to set aside the “one nation, two systems” formula enshrined in the Anglo-Chinese treaty which ended colonial rule in 1997. The Hong Kong government’s efforts to placate the rioters, while attempting to control them by police action, have clearly exhausted the patience of the Beijing authorities. A repeat of the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989, where Chinese military force was used against students demonstrating in Beijing, must now be on the cards.
28 May 2020, The Tablet
A rogue state emerges
China and Hong Kong
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