Beijing Warns of ‘Chaos’ if Hong Kong Protests Persist

[Purveyor]

Source: New York Times

HONG KONG — The Chinese Communist Party on Thursday condemned the street protests that have engulfed parts of Hong Kong and gave its firm endorsement to the city’s beleaguered leader. In a front-page commentary, People’s Daily, the main newspaper of the Chinese Communist Party, accused pro-democracy groups of threatening to drag Hong Kong into “chaos.”

The commentary laid bare the chasm of expectations between the Chinese Communist Party and democratic activists in Hong Kong, and it left no room for compromise on the demonstrators’ main demands.

Tens of thousands of protesters have occupied main roads in Hong Kong since Sunday, demanding an open democratic vote for the city’s leader, or chief executive, and many have also demanded the resignation of the current leader, Leung Chun-ying.

Citing China’s national leadership, People’s Daily issued a resounding “no” to those demands. And it accused the groups that have supported the street protests of pushing Hong Kong toward dangerous disorder.




Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/03/world/asia/hong-kong-protests.html?_r=0

[Scootaloo]

1. Want to know what's really weird?

Much like the Tienanmen protests, the Hong Kong protestors are almost certainly far more interested in socialism than the communist party of China is. A core part of the protest is how Hong Kong's "leaders' are wrapped around the business class, and the perpetually-rising costs of living in HK.

Of course the western media isn't going to point that out - as that would cast socialism in the hero's light, and raise some interesting questions about the reality of China's "communism" - so they focus on the Democracy aspect of it. Which is, of course an aspect of the protests, since socialism is naturally democratic... but also makes it easier for China to propagandize against.

[pampango]

8. You are right. The big communist powers of the Cold War era are anything but that now.

The people who protest against their policies now are more socialist and democratic - "since socialism is naturally democratic" - than the governments they protest against.

Of course the western media isn't going to point that out ...

So true. Meanwhile the 'eastern' media is going to focus on their governments' perceptions of the protests as being "anti-socialist" or "fascist" which, as you say are not true, are a more useful line of attack than calling them anti-democratic which is absurd on the face of it.

[MADem]

2. They want free and fair elections and they don't want Beijing limiting or picking the

candidates like Iran does.

This is going to be Tien An Men South. I think it will end tragically.

China, when SECSTATE said WTF, said "Butt out--not your business." They aren't going to play. They're going to crack down hard. Only question is when, and how many will be arrested/die.

[littlewolf]

3. this !

[cosmicone]

4. China is more conscious of world opinion

now than the Tien an men square incidence.

Hong Kong people are also different in that they know what freedom feels like under the UK regime. The Hong Kong people also have far more relatives in the West to make it painful for the Chinese.

[MADem]

13. Based on SECSTATE's recent conversation, I honestly don't think they give a crap

in Beijing what the west thinks. They know we can't touch that. All we can do is finger wag. I think they figure we'll "get over it."

[pampango]

7. The Tiananmen protests went on for 7 weeks before the violent crackdown and that was in Beijing.

I suspect that another violent crackdown is coming in Hong Kong. Authoritarian regimes really only know one way to retain power. Genuine negotiations with protesters does not project the image of power and fear that such regimes require to stay in power.

Hong Kong is a business center. The Chinese government must be somewhat worried about the economic effect of Tiananmen-style violence in a nominally democratic, Western city like Hong Kong. So they will probably let this play out for a while while restricting the flow of information to the mainland concerning the democracy protests. Still power is their main concern and violence is the go-to tactic when it comes to retaining power. The crackdown is coming.

[Hosnon]

11. This isn't a public square, this is Hong Kong (China's Golden Goose).

They are much less likely to violently respond to this, because the markets would react extremely negatively. And China is much more conscious of markets in 2014 than it was in 1989.

[pampango]

14. I agree that Beijing is much more conscious of market reaction than it was in 1989.

And has a much larger economy that can be harmed by a negative market reaction than it did 25 years ago.

Still the desire of an authoritarian regime to retain control of the levers of state power, usually means that violent repression of large scale demonstrations that challenge the legitimacy of that group's hold on power are almost inevitable. That is true even if that group fears a negative market reaction to the violence. They undoubtedly believe that reaction will be temporary and that things will get back to "normal" before long.

Authoritarian governments ultimately rely on the force employed by the military and security forces rather than on the consent of the governed so the use of that force must be expected.

[MADem]

12. It is my guess that they won't wait that long.

They don't want this idealistic expression of pure faith in democratic principles capturing hearts and minds around the globe. Already so many of the pictures are, shall we say, HEARTWARMING. The protesters are sweet, positive, well-behaved, even neat, picking up their own garbage and leaving the area better than they found it. What's not to love?

If sympathy for the protesters is allowed to foment, China won't like that. I think they'll crack down sooner rather than later, and it will be harsh.

[pampango]

15. Yeah, I think the crackdown is coming and it will be harsh. I'm sure Beijing is trying to figure

how to crackdown violently while causing the least foreign reaction possible. They won't be able to control the images that come from the crackdown as they were in Tiananmen 25 years ago. They also have a much bigger economy than they had 25 years ago so there is more to risk from foreign reaction than there was before.

Still as an authoritarian government they have little recourse than to resort to violent repression since that is what underpins their hold on power. I'm sure they expect the negative foreign reaction to be temporary and manageable. Plus it won't affect the wallets of government officials very much anyway.

[Android3.14]

5. It's about to become bad

That's a volley of preparatory propaganda to justify force.

[KinMd]

6. McCain and Graham will be calling for US miltary action any minute now

[toby jo]

10. A military confrontation of China? Doubtful.

Now, camel jockeys, AOK with that.

[Scootaloo]

18. Crash'n'Burn McCain ain't exactly known for his tactical acumen

[theHandpuppet]

20. Please edit the racist slur from your post.

Last edited Fri Oct 3, 2014, 07:52 AM - Edit history (1)

It really isn't necessary in order to make your point.

[toby jo]

22. no

[davidpdx]

9. I know someone who lives there

and visited the protesters downtown. I worry that things are going to get violent if Beijing starts to crack down.

[ladjf]

16. Get ready for it. nt

[bigworld]

17. Security forces will strike the second the protesters make one small mistake

[hugo_from_TN]

19. The protesters have free speech and assembly rights.

The free world needs to grow a spine and make China pay if they violate those rights.

[Nihil]

21. What? No "Free Speech Zones"?

How can they possibly be democratic if they are simply assembling in the street?

[Blue_Tires]

23. Naturally, Greenwald and Snowden have yet to comment...

[Purveyor]

24. Quite an 'obsession' you have going on re:Greenwald/Snowden, eh?