Commentary
As Hong Kong, or perhaps more accurately its government, prepared to celebrate a quarter century as a special autonomous region (SAR) of China and the inauguration of a new chief executive, Beijing’s hand-picked candidate John Lee, the atmosphere was more one of manufactured gaiety than genuine joy.
District councils and sundry “patriotic” organizations put up gaudy decorations. At the same time, the media speculated about whether Chinese leader Xi Jinping would or would not show up, reminding this observer of the line from the nursery rhyme “the stockings were hung by the chimney with care in hope that Saint Nicholas would soon be there.”…