As a smart frd said: HK has committed suicide. It's already too late. The past 13 weeks has guaranteed nothing but HK's acceleration toward becoming just another major city in China. The longer this drags on, the faster that acceleration will be. https://twitter.com/alessionaval/status/1167976584743010311

People with various political agenda will continue to cheer on kids in their fight, mostly in comfort of their living room, even though they themselves know too well there is no end game. HK has triggered all of Beijing's worst assumptions, and there is no going back.

The only businesses that will continue to thrive in HK are the ones serving mainland and Chinese money. Those firms don't worry abt exodus of talents, which can easily replaced by hungry, grateful grads from 北清復交. This is already happening, but will only accelerate.

As a city in the physical sense, it will be fine. Infrastructure will get rebuilt quickly; the civic and social system will largely remain efficient. Ppl will leave, and those who don't will rationalize their choice. But HK as a mainland-agnostic hub? Gone.

Many ppl won't like this: don't say this is bc "HK has shown how China is". Any firm that has done biz in China knows how China is. This is also abt HK's end of the bargain: you put up w some annoyance and interference from China, while maintaining your world class efficiency

stability, and openness. What shocked many is not how BJ has reacted (if any, maybe shocked that PLA hasnt acted yet), it is the degree to which ppl of HK, from both sides, are willing to throw that assumption into the trash for political difference.

I hope I am wrong, but I am afraid when this chapter is written, it will be one soaked with irony (and blood and tears).