Hong Kong.........

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

Hong Kong is a vestige of the colonial era. China was picked apart by colonial powers, and to this day China resents this meddling by world powers. It only obtained sovereign control over Hong Kong due to a long term treaty with Britain on the terms of transition back to Chinese control. Hong Kong only has distinct rights because of this agreement. The only thing preventing China from rolling in the tanks and locking the place down is the high economic costs to destroy the economic engine that Hong Kong is. Hong Kong is just the sort of conflict that I could imagine generating a Chinese overreaction out of pride.

So when Brian37 argues for unspecified action, he should understand this is more sensitive than most conflicts of this sort. The risk for spiraling out of control is very high. China knows it cannot afford to lose Hong Kong as an economic force in Asia, but push it just a little too hard, and China may decide it needs to crack down to protect its sovereignty.

I can't see it that way at all.  China (now more than anytime in the last 20 years) needs 'the economic engine that Hong Kong is'.  I don't really see them destroying it out of pride.  Xi is more practical than that.

Boru