Hong-Kong Protests

A china that can't handle/ maintain internal cohesion when a measly 5 million strong protest doesn't deserve to have a nation as big as it is now. It deserves to be balkanized and exist as divided nations. These protests are a litmus test.
I have not seen much mainland support except from dark corners and humanities majors in universities and maybe religious minorities. I do want to know how it is percieved in the mainland.

The "mandate of heaven" - whatever that is - has been transferred from the emperors to the people of the mainland. It does not lie with the CCP. There shall be the 21st century's juggernaut behemoth of China as long as the people of mainland wills it.

I stand with the minority people of HK who voted for pro-establishment. They have my respects.

If China somehow become democratic overnight what kinda parties there would be? Or would they go with two party system. I have spoken with mainland Chinese students who study in here Finland and most have been very liberal instead socially conservative, but I guess students are usually more liberal no matter what country they come from.

Well done, Macau.

Reuters reported on 7th of December:

As of Reuters: "Macau immigration authorities could not be reached for comment outside of business hours." On 8th of December, Macau "security secretary" (Secretaria para a Segurança) answered "no comment on individual case" as per international (US and UK) standard on similar matters, taste of own medicine.

Broccoli said:

If China somehow become democratic overnight what kinda parties there would be? Or would they go with two party system. I have spoken with mainland Chinese students who study in here Finland and most have been very liberal instead socially conservative, but I guess students are usually more liberal no matter what country they come from.

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Just look at the History of the beginning of the Republic of China (1911-1930), that's pretty much what you can expect.

Broccoli said:

If China somehow become democratic overnight what kinda parties there would be? Or would they go with two party system. I have spoken with mainland Chinese students who study in here Finland and most have been very liberal instead socially conservative, but I guess students are usually more liberal no matter what country they come from.

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Young people are liberal typically because they don't have a stake in the status quo.
If you're renting a room in a dorm you don't really care about the up-keep and rules are a nuisance. Once you buy a house, noise in the neighbourhood suddenly affects your home values and rules become important.

In the beginning of democracy only land owning gentry had voting power because they were the only people who gave a sh(* about the community and couldn't vote solely along lines of their individual interests. With universal suffrage non-stake holders would simply vote for whoever would cater to their interests. I.E the unemployed should simply vote for whoever offered the highest welfare regardless of cost to the overall system. PIIGS is an example of this.

The problem with limiting voting rights is that those who can't vote won't be represented... obviously

@Broccoli
Students are mostly liberal because they live in an alternate world - living on parent's cash and still dreaming big. As one "matures" and is entrusted/burdened with responsibilities - they turn conservative. Real life offers harsh experiences. Modest conservatism is just concern and cautiousness.

Broccoli said:

If China somehow become democratic overnight what kinda parties there would be? Or would they go with two party system. I have spoken with mainland Chinese students who study in here Finland and most have been very liberal instead socially conservative, but I guess students are usually more liberal no matter what country they come from.

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It would probably be a mess. Just look at Hong Kong. All these factions claiming to want the same thing yet they can't decide on a leader. That's because they all have their own self-serving agendas. Then you have Hong Kongers who think freedom is literally to be able to do anything they want. The US wants democracy in China not because they care about freedom in China. They see it as giving them more influence in China's direction. The West falsely assumes a democratic China will be pro-West. No, there will be anti-Western parties exploiting patriotism and the West will be alarmed. Just like you see rabid anti-Chinese Chinese, you'll see rabidly anti-Western parties. And then the West will wish the communists were back in power not realizing how good the West had it then because the fact is the communist want the Chinese as apolitical as possible meaning they don't want the Chinese people to have an opinion either way. The communists know themselves as an example of how the people turned on the Nationalists.

I speculate that China will introduce a nationality law, through proper legislative actions at the level of the constitution, as early as next NPC meeting in March, 2020. This law will require any candidate for, or any holder of, any public office at any part of the PRC, HK and Macao included, must be a Chinese citizen. In so-doing, China fixes the legal loopholes in HK and Macao that allow foreigners and dual-citizens to occupy public offices. It is a common practice throughout the world that only the citizen is allowed to hold a public office.

I also speculate that China will soon introduce / enforce a nation allegiance law in all parts of the PRC, HK and Macao included, through proper legislation. This law will require any employee of any institution or agency that is funded, partially or totally, with public money, or is regulated by laws, must make oath-swear to declare his / her allegiance to the constitution of the PRC, and the Basic Law of HK, or the Basic Law of Macao when applicable. The employee who is found unfaithful to his / her oath will be fired immediately. If the employer which has unfaithful employee refuses to fire the employee in question will see its funding be cut off, or its operation license be revoked immediately due to concerns of national security risks.

These two speculations are made on my observations to America's laws and to its behaviors.

Ontario public servants have to swear an Oath of Allegiance to her Majestic the Queen

KYli said:

If you wanted my opinion, I would say that intimidation isn't the main reason but manipulation and denial are.

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They all go hand in hand as part of the anti-establishment "pro-Democracy" package, denial of the truth, manipulation of the gullible into obstructionism and violence, and the intimidation (and actual personal assault and property destruction) against anyone who exercises freedom and thinks differently than what foreign backers want in service of foreign interests.