This dosnt sounds good for Hong Kongers

[Marks199]

China is using Kublai Khan’s methods to quell protests in Hong Kong.

The Communist Party hopes that the threat of violence will be enough to empty the streets. 

At the peak of Kublai Khan’s empire-building career, his reputation for ferocity was such that Mongol armies conquered some cities with handwritten notes, wrapped around arrows and fired over the walls. A typical letter urged inhabitants to submit at once to avoid a siege that was sure to end in mass slaughter. Vanquished local rulers, if lucky, might be granted a princely death, sewn into a sack and then trampled by horses.

Though China’s Communist Party probably dislikes comparisons to a Mongol horde, its leaders are trying similar tactics in their confrontation with Hong Kong. Videos have been released showing Chinese soldiers practicing riot suppression and paramilitary police massing just across the border from Hong Kong. Officials have declared that 12 weeks of pro-democracy marches and anti-government protests, many of them vast and peaceful but some of them small and violent, amount to a “color revolution” with elements of “terrorism”. Well-briefed Hong Kong tycoons have hinted at a deadline for displays of defiance by the territory to end: October 1st, when the 70th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China will be marked in Beijing with a grand parade. On August 25th the state news agency, Xinhua, reported on a gathering of officials to study speeches by Deng Xiaoping, the leader who devised the “one country, two systems” model, a promise to preserve Hong Kong’s Western-style freedoms after British rule ended in 1997. That pledge of autonomy is quite compatible with sending troops to crack skulls, Xinhua reported: Deng himself stipulated that if Hong Kong drifted into turmoil, the central government should intervene.

Taken from the economist.

My questions are: If a conflict happens would Taiwan be next? Why America as defenders of democracy don't give their support to Hong Kong?

Edited August 31, 2019 by Marks199

[montecristo]

This feels like the powder keg of ww3. Spells disaster if this whets China's appetite for war considering the tension between Japan-China/ U.S- China.

[outlandish]

Breaking news - Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam to withdraw extradition bill: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-49575381

Will this satisfy the protestors? The extradition bill was the straw that broke the camels back in a steady erosion of liberties for HKers. We'll see if they back down now, and if the erosion will continue or not. In any case this is a remarkable turn of events, it is kind of amazing to see Chinese authority buckle under this pressure.

It's possible that the protestors will "pay for their sins" under the Chinese surveillance state and credit system via facial recognition technology. Interesting and spooky times.

[CreamCat]

2 hours ago, outlandish said:

liberties for HK

China and hong kong are both not so free. If you want to taste freedom, go somewhere else.

[Marks199]

@outlandish Anyway China insists in getting and provoking authorities in HK its I think more than just Carrie Lam. I think it will be a temporary calming of the situation HK. The second demand as I read is a bigger level of democracy, and that I think it won't be soo easy.