Hong Kongers are bracing for an even wider clampdown on dissent
Officials are sowing fear with vaguely worded warnings against “soft resistance”
AN EXPLOSION OF anti-government discontent in Hong Kong in 2019 prompted China to impose a draconian national-security law on the territory to prevent further protests. Officials say this has helped: Hong Kong has achieved a “major transition from chaos to order”, they insist. But even after thousands of arrests and numerous trials, both under the new law and dredged-up statutes from the colonial era, the authorities are twitchy. Increasingly, they warn of “soft resistance” that could trigger fresh unrest. A new phase may be unfolding in Hong Kong’s war on dissent.
This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline “Widening the net ”
From the August 12th 2023 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionMore from China
China needs its frightened officials to save the economy
After years of being hounded by anti-graft authorities, many are too afraid to act
The bad side-effects of China’s campaign to cut drug costs
Poor quality is one. An angry public is another
America and China are talking. But much gets lost in translation
How linguistic differences complicate relations between the great powers
It’s a good time to be an astrologer in China
In the face of hardship, the country’s youth are embracing superstition
The early days of the Trump administration, as viewed from China
A good start, but it could get worse quickly
How (un)popular is China’s Communist Party?
As the economy falters and the social compact frays, Xi Jinping wants to know