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What Dictatorships Always Do
By cracking down on the protesters in Hong Kong the Chinese Communist Party is doing what dictatorships always do- punching itself in the head. Hong-Kong is the smartest, brightest, most prosperous city in China- but it's also a free city and that won't do. What the tyrants don't get- and never do- is that the freedom is a necessary part of the mix- and if you take it away you'll lose the smartness, brightness and prosperity too.
It's as if you were to say, "Oooh I really like this curry, but we next time we need to make it without the spices."
Hitler thought he could rule Europe- but first he had to get rid of all his clever people- many of whom were Jewish, others of whom were gay or otherwise "degenerate".
Stalin had a similar idea.
Chairman Xi may well succeed in shutting down Hong Kong because he's the one with the muscle- but it'll be his own funeral in the long run.
I don't expect the Chinese Communist Party to last for very much longer.
Here in the Commons Mr Johnson has just opened a "bespoke route" for Hong Kong people with a British National overseas passport to come to this country and get on the conveyor belt towards full citizenship. It's the least he can do- and both the decent thing but also very much in our interests. Chairman Xi is moving to get rid of his best brains, his sharpest entrepreneurs- and we'll be very happy to take them off his hands.
China's loss will be Britain's gain.
So thank you, Chairman Xi (you twit!)
It's as if you were to say, "Oooh I really like this curry, but we next time we need to make it without the spices."
Hitler thought he could rule Europe- but first he had to get rid of all his clever people- many of whom were Jewish, others of whom were gay or otherwise "degenerate".
Stalin had a similar idea.
Chairman Xi may well succeed in shutting down Hong Kong because he's the one with the muscle- but it'll be his own funeral in the long run.
I don't expect the Chinese Communist Party to last for very much longer.
Here in the Commons Mr Johnson has just opened a "bespoke route" for Hong Kong people with a British National overseas passport to come to this country and get on the conveyor belt towards full citizenship. It's the least he can do- and both the decent thing but also very much in our interests. Chairman Xi is moving to get rid of his best brains, his sharpest entrepreneurs- and we'll be very happy to take them off his hands.
China's loss will be Britain's gain.
So thank you, Chairman Xi (you twit!)