A new red dawn for Hong Kong

What’s happened?

ast month China’s ultimate decision-making body, the Standing Committee of its rubber-stamp Parliament, passed sweeping reforms that further strengthen Beijing’s tight political control over Hong Kong. The measures slash the proportion of elected seats in the territory’s legislative assembly from 50% to 22%, and require all would-be MPs – as well as all other public officials – to be vetted for their “patriotism” by a pro-Beijing committee. The move prompted a further wave of arrests and convictions of dozens of pro-democracy politicians and activists. One of seven people convicted last week – over a