Communist China's National People's Congress imposed unilaterally on Hong Kong, the anti-subversion law. It is a clear violation of the Sino-British Joint Declaration, an international treaty.



When nations walk away from treaties, there must be consequences. Otherwise, it needs not be any treaties in the first place. International treaties usually bind the strong nations for the sake of protecting the weak ones.



There is no doubt Communist China sees itself as a rising global power and the only contender of the US's supremacy in the 21st century. Is China going to declare war on the United States in the foreseeable future? If not, why does it engage in its wolf warrior-style diplomacy, signaling nothing but hostility?



Since the end of the Second World War, humanity experienced the longest stretch of peace and prosperity. Even during the cold war, where there were hotspots in different locations, the superpowers avoided out-and-out military confrontation. The disintegration of the Soviet Union in the 1990s opened up the possibility that the world would eventually converge to the scenario where democratic nations coexist peacefully with each other, hence, the so-called the “end of history.”



Communist China was acutely aware of its existential crisis during the later part of the 1980s. Freedom and democratic movement began in 1986, leading to the June 4 Tiananmen Square massacre. Chinese Communist Party did what it could to stay in power by promising its people the possibility of economic wellbeing and nationalistic pride. In the post-Tiananmen era, the pro-growth rhetoric and nationalism have been the implicit social contract between Communist China and its people.



Communist China gradually fixed some of its problems, especially its defunct state sector. The world remained hopeful that someday, somehow, economic development would bring about institutional change. In 2001, the World Trade Organization accepted China as a member nation, on the condition that it would also open its market to the world.



China profited enormously from the free trade agreement, but it did not honor its promise to offer a level playing ground. On the contrary, China began a global propaganda campaign to promote the "Beijing Consensus," the idea that there was no such thing as the end of history. China presents itself as the role model of a paternalistic, authoritarian government that achieves everlasting prosperity and stability through powerful state apparatus actively managing its closed economy.



As China grew more confident with its ideological approach to development, the Financial Tsunami in 2008 reinforced the belief that given the size and momentum, it was only a matter of time for China to take over the United States as the world's most powerful nation. It was also the year Beijing hosted the Olympic Games, a high point of nationalistic sentiment.



Subsequently, Communist China detained Liu Xiaobo, the author of the Charter 2008, who petitioned for democratic reform. People's freedom began to deteriorate, especially for ethnic minorities in Xinjiang and Tibet. Unfortunately, the world paid only lip service to the growing oppression under the regime.



China has always been an authoritarian state, but it pretends to be progressive and pragmatic. Even people in Hong Kong once believed that as long as our city continues to serve the nation's interests as an international financial center, the Communist regime would leave us alone.



The proposed extradition law in 2019 was a wake-up call to many of us. Although the discontent amongst Hongkongers towards the regime's increasingly tight grips on power has been growing since 2012, it was not until last year we saw the inconvenient truth. In the eyes of Communist China, Hongkongers do not have the freedom to say no to Beijing, nor the puppet government in Hong Kong.



Why does Communist China risk isolating itself from the global community by revealing its true colors?



Hong Kong is the bastion of freedom, the poster boy of capitalism, and China's only point of access to the international financial market. It should not be a surprise if the Communist regime hates everything Hong Kong represents. What if Hong Kong ends up with a functional, effective democratic government? It will be proof that all Chinese can enjoy economic prosperity and political freedom just like Hongkongers, hence the case for the "end of history" hypothesis.



Hence the paranoid and delusional dictators see political resistance as separatist movement. The calls for democratic reform and protection of human rights become acts of subversion and threats to national security. Even the international community's moral support to the people of Hong Kong fighting for freedom is perceived as conspiratory plots of aggression.



Hong Kong is part of China. Hong Kong is also part of the global community, a city where people of different nationalities called home. The Sino-British Joint Declaration is not only a promise to the people of Hong Kong but also the international community. The treaty stated explicitly that Hong Kong would enjoy a high degree of autonomy, and the eventual progression to a democratically elected government.



Hong Kong degenerates into a police state, simply because the Communist regime cannot trust anyone, even the peace-loving, and habitually compliant Hongkongers. In modern society, inevitably, there are differences in opinions and values. Consensus democracy may not resolve all societal conflicts, but it is already the most effective way to arrive at some agreements. Without a functioning representative democracy, the state will always find itself coercing some people into accedence.



Acolytes of Beijing allude that Hong Kong would be a threat to national security without the draconian anti-subversion law. In fact, before Beijing abrogated its promises and obligations to the people of Hong Kong, it has always been the world's safest and most peaceful city.



The world has two options. We can choose to change Communist China, or we can wait for them to change us. If we do nothing, the Communist dictators will do whatever it takes to prove themselves, costing the rights and freedom of innocent people. Or we can stand up and defend the inalienable rights, dignity, and liberty of the people. The sooner we act, the more likely we can avert the military confrontation with the totalitarian regime that is too big to contain. The longer the wait, the bigger the risk for Communist China to run out of control will be.



The world can make it clear to the Communist regime that there will be consequences, especially economic sanctions. It is time for the world to tell China it must play by the rule or pay for its hubris.

(Simon Lee is a Hong Kong-based columnist for Apple Daily)

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