THE world is holding its breath for Hong Kong.

Thirty years after the tanks rolled into Beijing’s Tiananmen Square to crush pro-democracy students, is China really contemplating sending the big guns into Hong Kong?

9 Hong Kong is poised on a razor’s edge as protests become increasingly more violent Credit: AFP or licensors

It seems unthinkable. But satellite images show the Chinese military ­massing inside a football stadium in Shenzhen, just across the border from the former British colony.

In Beijing, furious communist leaders insist pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, now entering their 11th week, resemble “terrorism”.

In London, the Chinese ambassador tells the West to butt out.

And in Hong Kong, the violence is escalating. Last weekend, a young woman was blinded by a rubber bullet fired at her face at point-blank range as Hong Kong cops went on a rampage.

This week, pro-democracy protesters — some of them wearing eye patches and carrying signs that proclaimed “An Eye for An Eye” — occupied Hong Kong’s airport for two days, paralysing the city.

When a policeman at the airport threw a woman to the ground, protesters seized his baton and beat him with it.

The ugly confrontation only ended when the cop pulled his gun at protesters — who were mainly teenagers.

What happens in Hong Kong when some frazzled cop pulls the trigger? And what happens if someone takes away his gun? What will the tanks do then?

Some experts believe China will not contemplate a crackdown before October 1, the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the People’s Republic of China.

But Hong Kong is poised on a razor’s edge, one inflammatory incident away from a disaster that would rock the world.

The protests there started as a backlash against a proposed law that would have allowed residents of Hong Kong, which still enjoys a legal system established by the British, to be extradited to mainland China, where the Communist Party rules supreme.

What happens in Hong Kong when some frazzled cop pulls the trigger? And what happens if someone takes away his gun?

But now the protests are about police brutality, a housing crisis and the fight for Hong Kong to remain Hong Kong and not become just another big Chinese city.

There is zero sympathy in mainland China (population 1.4billion) for Hong Kong (population 7.4million).

If the tanks roll into Hong Kong, it will be a popular move in China, where they view the young pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong as unruly, anti-patriotic, spoilt brats who enjoy freedoms unknown to themselves.

9 In 1989, tanks rolled into Beijing’s Tiananmen Square to crush pro-democracy students - now it seems unthinkable that history could repeat itself Credit: AP:Associated Press

9 The protests started in response to the extradition bill, but now it's about police brutality, a housing crisis and the fight for Hong Kong to remain Hong Kong Credit: AFP or licensors

9 A military crackdown is a popular move in China, where they view the protesters as unruly, anti-patriotic, spoilt brats who enjoy freedoms unknown to themselves Credit: Reuters

A military crackdown would be disastrous for Hong Kong.

Its status as one of the world’s great financial hubs would end overnight, as foreign firms fled.

Crushing Hong Kong would also be bad for business in China. Many foreign firms prefer to invest in China via Hong Kong.

GUARANTEED FREEDOMS

That would change if the People’s Liberation Army stood on the streets of the former colony. Tanks crushing children would not encourage trade and investment.

China, the economic superpower of the 21st Century, would face international outrage.

But although some pro-democracy protesters have gone too far — smashing up Hong Kong’s parliament, beating up a journalist from the mainland at the airport — here in the West, they don’t look remotely like terrorists.

They look like idealistic young kids fighting for their home.

But the pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong have a real problem. They live in China.

Since the British left in 1997, Hong Kong has been a “special administrative region” of China, its rights and freedoms guaranteed by the UK and China for 50 years in a deal by Margaret Thatcher and former ­Chinese premier Deng Xiaoping.

Here in the West, protesters don’t look remotely like terrorists. They look like idealistic young kids fighting for their home.

“One country, two systems,” says the agreement.

But those teenagers in Hong Kong are ultimately fighting for freedom in China — which is not a democracy and never has been.

Despite all the Stars and Stripes and Union Jacks defiantly flown by protesters, Hong Kong is undeniably and unequivocally part of China.

But as the world anxiously watches Chinese troops and tanks prepare for a military crackdown, China has a problem too.

How do you tell people they must be less free?



Dogged by a cruel system

EMMA McNulty, 18, grew up with her Yorkshire terrier Milly.

When Milly died at the age of 14, Emma was so devastated she rang the Glasgow restaurant where she worked to tell them she would not be coming in that day.

9 Good luck to Emma McNulty as she fights for the loss of a dog to be recognised as a real bereavement Credit: Emma McNulty

9 Emma lost her 14-year-old dog Milly and her job all in one day Credit: Emma McNulty

“I was told I had to cover my shift, as no bereavement time was allowed for pets,” Emma says.

“I didn’t go to work that day and I was fired and left unemployed the same day as losing my best friend.”

Arbitration service Acas says bereaved employees have the right to take time off if their performance at work could be hampered.

But there is nothing in the rules about losing a pet.

Emma has started a petition to change that so the loss of a dog is recognised as a real bereavement.

Good luck to her. Because dogs are NOT pets. Goldfish, hamsters and newts are pets.

Your dog is a member of the family. Usually the most popular one.

What were they thinking? NEW Ukip supremo Richard Braine has a name that is all too easily abbreviated by his political opponents. What were his parents thinking of? Not that their baby would one day lead Ukip, certainly. George Osborne – who changed his first name from Gideon in his teens – guffaws: “The new leader of Ukip is called Mr Dick Braine – really!” Stony-faced, Mr Braine responds: “Are my prospects better if I change my Christian name to Gideon or George?” Frankly, yes.

Margot's the real royalty

EVEN as I took my seat in the cinema, I had doubts about going to see Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time In Hollywood.

Set in Los Angeles in the summer of 1969, Leonardo DiCaprio plays a TV actor on the skids living next door to Roman Polanski and his beautiful wife Sharon Tate, who is doomed to perish at the hands of the Manson “family”.

9 Margot Robbie stole the show as she played Sharon Tate in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time In Hollywood Credit: SONY PICTURES ENTERTAIN

Would the director of Pulp Fiction play such unspeakable violence for laughs?

But the film turns out to be far more than the usual bloody Tarantino fare.

In the twist ending, it is oddly but profoundly moving, haunted by the spirit of Sharon Tate, brought to luminous life by Margot Robbie.

In a film packed with Hollywood royalty – Brad Pitt and DiCaprio at the top of their games, Al Pacino with a swaggering, cigar-chomping cameo – it is Robbie who steal the show.

What a compliment NIGEL Farage is pilloried for saying: “Her Royal Highness the Queen Mother was a slightly overweight, chain-smoking gin-drinker who lived to 101 years old.” The world doesn’t understand. Coming from Nigel, that’s a compliment.

PM is not merely a Johnson

WHY is this Prime Minister identified by just his first name? Nobody ever said, “Tony should never have invaded Iraq” or “David should have thought twice about that EU referendum.”

So why is he “Boris” even to his enemies?

9 Aside from Maggie, Boris is the first PM who is recognised by just his first name and that's because people actually like him Credit: AFP or licensors

When Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott was interviewed on Radio 4’s Today show, she dismissed Tory plans for another 20,000 extra police on the streets.

“Boris doesn’t quite explain how he will pay for it,” said Abbott. Her use of “Boris” provoked a furious response in The Guardian.

“The shadow cabinet is not showing sufficient animosity towards Boris Johnson,” the paper raged. “Not ‘the Prime Minister’, not ‘Johnson’, not ‘Mr Johnson’ but ‘BORIS’!”

Boris is the first PM since Maggie who can survive on just a first name – because he has an appeal that cuts across age, class and political affiliations. People actually like him.

That is why we are on this first-name basis – and why Boris is doing so well in the polls, the “Johnson bounce” as they would probably call it at The Guardian.

And it’s why Boris will win a landslide at the next General Election . . . whatever they choose to call him.

Miley's snapping back

AFTER her marriage to Liam Hemsworth collapsed, Miley Cyrus was caught cavorting in Lake Como with Kaitlynn Carter.

“I wish her nothing but health and happiness,” said Liam, with admirable dignity.

9 Miley Cyrus loves the publicity of her very public split from Liam Hemsworth, but she doesn't like to be laughed at Credit: kaitlynn/Instagram

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Brody Jenner, who recently split from Kaitlynn, chortled: “Pics of Liam and I holding hands on the beach coming soon!”

Miley snapped back: “Go take a nap in your truck and cool off.”

She loves publicity. But she is not so keen on being laughed at.

Teachers march 'to protect our protesting students' against police brutality in Hong Kong

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