The Hong Kong government backs down
Hong Kong authorities officially withdrew the extradition bill that has sparked months-long massive protests and violent riots across the city. The city’s security chief John Lee announced that the bill was effectively withdrawn on Wednesday. In response, several opposition lawmakers tried to heckle Lee’s speech, demanding his resignation.
The bill, which would have allowed the extradition of criminal suspects from Hong Kong, China’s self-governing territory, to mainland China triggered massive protests in summer. Protesters and human rights campaigners feared that Beijing may use the legislation to target dissidents.
My guess is that this is a smart tactical move by the Chinese government to defang what had become an entry point by the CIA and the NGOs attempting to transform the organic protests into a Color Revolution. It surgically removes the nominal basis for the protests, thereby removing the moral high ground – such as it is – from the protests if they continue.
I don’t see this as being much of a victory for the protesters, though. I understand the fears concerning extradition being applied to dissidents, but is it really good news that murderers can continue to live in Hong Kong without fear of even being arrested, much less charged and convicted, for their crimes? It seems to me a compromise that limited extradition to being applied to those suspected of murder would be reasonable and serve the interests of both the mainland and the SAR.