1/3 In expressing concern for China's decision to impose a draconian security law on Hong Kong, PM Trudeau cited the safety of the 300k Canadians there. That's certainly an issue, but it makes it seem as if this is a suddenly-emerging consular emergency, like a typhoon

2/3 The statement by the foreign ministers of the UK, Canada and Australia, provided more historical context, pointing to promises that China has made, and repeatedly broken, concerning Hong Kong

3/3 The reality is that the 1997 Sino-British accord on Hong Kong was, along with China's 2001 accession to the WTO, key to the grand bargain by which China's rise was accepted and normalized. Now that both are in tatters, the hard work of getting to a new normal begins