I will take credit, unhappily, for predicting the demise of Hong Kong as we knew it years before the event. I was wrong, however, when I suggested that the Chinese victory would be won with blood. What happened?
I think the answer is that the pro-democracy forces didn’t take the Hong Kong government seriously, but they genuinely (and correctly) fear Xi and the Communist Party. In addition, Xi guessed right when he concluded that the vast majority of Hong Kong residents would prioritize their economic well-being over a doomed fight for civil rights when push came to shove.
I can’t blame them, but I have to admit I’m slightly disappointed. In effect, the CCP is profiting from the atrocities of 1989.