Quote (fender @ 25 Nov 2019 19:51)
i am genuinely surprised they seemed to have somewhat fair elections.
one could argue that indicates it's not quite as bad as it seems - but given the stories that come out of china on a daily basis, like their treatment of protesters in hk, the genocide of muslim minorities, and mass incarceration / execution of political prisoners, this seems like a (last) 'concession' to its relatively autonomous status, and the international attention hk citizens were able to generate (unlike iranians, who are being slaughtered indiscriminately currently)...
It's still local garbage management elections (literally) but 80%+ even including the Chinese government maneuvers to influence the result (Food to poor elderly in exchange of a vote for a pro-China candidate) ... Completely negate any conspiracy or "violent protesters" narrative.
They are just buying time tho.