There are of course hardliners in Beijing who may currently be arguing that the time has come to get tough with “pampered” Hong Kong, perhaps even to bring out the troops in the Hong Kong garrison. But I don’t believe such voices hold sway. While Beijing’s patience is not indefinite, their best interest is to be seen to calm the waters. The reality is that China still needs Hong Kong as it builds links with the global economy, so the differences enshrined in the Basic Law, and the trust founded on Hong Kong’s Western-based rule of law are likely to remain critically important for a long time to come.
