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The End of Hong Kong (The Atlantic, 8 min read) Last week China enforced sweeping security laws on Hong Kong in response to the pro-democracy demonstrations that erupted last year. Through these laws, China will be able to tackle any political dissent directly and gain more autonomy over Hong Kong. This is one among several aggressive actions taken by China in Asia recently (including sinking a Vietnamese vessel).
China is taking a risk by getting tough on Hong Kong. Now, the US must decide how to respond (The Conversation, 6 min read) ‘[This] has the potential to become a diplomatic crisis. There’s a chance Beijing may have miscalculated the situation, and the US and its allies will retaliate with economic or other punishments.’ The actions have put China on a path leading towards a ‘new cold war’ against its western rivals.
China is its own worst enemy (The Strategist, 5 mins read) From denying independent international inquiry of the origins of the virus to the recent imposition of security laws in Hong Kong, Beijing is isolating itself and damaging its image. Economies such as Japan and the US have already initiated actions by incentivising relocation of supply chains away from China, and India’s new rule requires government authorisation before any investment in China.