Hong Kong’s march toward an authoritarian future began with a single phrase in a dry policy paper. But the words were dismissed by many as intimidating swagger that the city’s robust legal system and democratic opposition could face down. Hong Kong now knows Mr. Xi’s ambitions with a stunned clarity. The paper marked the opening of a contest for control in the city, culminating in the sweeping national security law that few saw coming. Since that law took force one year ago, Beijing has unleashed a stampede of actions to bring Hong Kong into political lock step with the Chinese Communist Party: arresting activists, seizing assets, firing government workers, detaining newspaper editors and rewriting school curriculums.

Source: New York Times June 28, 2021 03:56 UTC