Is Beijing ready to step in to stop Hong Kong protests?
- Despite the escalating chaos this week, observers do not think the central government is ready for such a drastic step
- One analyst believes that the cost to China’s international reputation is still too high while another questions whether it has an effective plan
As this week’s major escalation of violence shows no sign of abating, a question that has hung over Hong Kong from the start of the protest movement is again weighing heavily on the city: Will Beijing finally lose its patience and decide to intervene?
Traffic and public transport were disrupted across the city, office workers took to the streets during their lunch break every day and university campuses turned into blazing battlegrounds.
A man was set on fire after being doused in flammable liquid and a protester was shot in the abdomen at point-blank range by police.
The central government has issued nothing but dire warnings in response.
On Wednesday, Beijing’s Liaison Office in Hong Kong said that the city is “sliding into the abyss of terrorism”, calling for a harsher crackdown to end the unrest by “every necessary means”.
State media also weighed in, warning that the city is running out of time to resolve the situation on its own.
