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I refer to Alex Lo's October 23rd's article titled 'Policies on HK are more forward-looking" where he states "US President Donald Trump's unexpected victory has been a godsend. It exposes the unreliability and irresponsibility of a democratic society".  Actually, Trump's election does not do such a thing at all. Quite the contrary, it shows that through the electoral system, democracy has lots of checks and balance which makes it incredibly hard for Trump to push the most radical parts of his agenda. Something that would not happen in China as we see Jinping giving himself unchecked powers.

Actually, Democracy has been the most stable political system since the industrial revolution; a system most adapted to balance the need economic growth, and popular desires.

This is what the autocrats such as Mr Lo fail to understand about democracy: it trades short-term "disorder" for long-term stability, while dictatorships are orderly through force in the short-run and invariably finish in revolutions of the people.

JC Clement



The original article from South China Morning Post:
http://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2116517/policies-hong-kong-are-more-forward-looking 

"Policies on Hong Kong are more forward-looking

Xi Jinping’s speech was without the warnings given by Hu Jintao against “external forces” and the need for a “grand united front”. Instead the focus was on long-term stability and prosperity

Critics of China will beg to differ but the policies of the central government annunciated by President Xi Jinping towards Hong Kong during the 19th national congress have been much more positive and forward-looking.

Gone are the warnings against “external forces” and the need for a “grand united front” in the speech given by then retiring president Hu Jintao at the 18th congress. Instead the focus is on long-term stability and prosperity, with such initiatives as the economic development of the Greater Bay Area of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau.

Concerns about foreign interference cumulated with the Occupy protests of 2014. But as the so-called yellow umbrella movement dies down, so too have fears about political intervention by foreign forces.

Meanwhile, the split within the loyalist camp between the so-called Leung gang (named after ex-chief executive Leung Chun-ying) and the Tang camp (after Henry Tang Ying-yen, his defeated electoral rival) has been mended under pressure from Beijing.

The tone of the central government today is much more confident and assertive. No wonder; after the debacle of the city’s failed electoral reform, Beijing has essentially forced all the major Western governments to concede that Hong Kong is solely a matter of China’s internal affairs. Besides lip service, no Western government will stand up for autonomy claims made by the local opposition.

US President Donald Trump’s unexpected victory has been a godsend. It exposes the unreliability and irresponsibility of a democratic society. As the most unprepared and inexperienced president in post-war US history, Trump makes Xi look like a world-class statesman.

No Western country can take a meaningful stance against China without US backing, not even Britain, now deeply mired in Brexit. And over Hong Kong, there is virtually no hope or incentive for them.

So all the noises being made about Hong Kong by busybodies, usually from the US and Britain, are just that – noises. Tory activist Benedict Rogers being barred from entering Hong Kong? Good for a few news headlines. The report by the US Congressional-Executive Commission on China on “the long-term viability of ‘one country, two systems’? Nobody reads it. Marco Rubio, who?

Hong Kong has a great future when it can sort out a workable and amiable relationship with the rest of the country. Its opposition camp just needs to stop all that self-destructive foolishness thinking it can buddy with Western governments to put pressure on Beijing."