Things seem to be unraveling in Hong Kong. Given an era of facial recognition, the face mask has become a symbol of pro-democracy student protests. While Beijing enacts a 1984 like paradigm, it doesn’t want another 1989 like situation. But with escalation China isn’t even listening to Hong Kong courts.

That’s a weird overruling of the rule of law that exists in Hong Kong. Its geographical situation is key for mainland China. It’s a financial capital of great importance.

It’s a complex situation but rule of law may be in decline. I say this because a ruling by the Hong Kong High Court on Monday that the government’s anti-mask law was unconstitutional has sent the wrong message to the radical protesters, according to mainland analysts.

How can this be? Chinese legislature condemns High Court decision to overturn law on face masks ban amid escalating protests in city.

The people in Hong Kong are engaged in an existential battle for liberty. Today the Senate sent a clear message that America stands with Hong Kong by passing the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act. #HongKong #HongKongProtests pic.twitter.com/NPXApurdS8 — Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) November 19, 2019

The tensions in Hong Kong also make for phase one of the trade war agreement to have little actual substance even if signed. As of November 20th, 2019, there is no longer rule of law in Hong Kong. This likely means Hong Kong and later Taiwan will have to give up their familiar democratic systems.

China’s top legislative affairs body says only Beijing has the right to decide on issues of constitutionality after High Court rules mask ban contravenes Basic Law. This means Hong Kong’s special “Basic Law” is basically meaningless.

Human Life is starting to Be Lost in the Student Demonstrations of Hong Kong

I hope Beijing knows what it is doing. This is because images of defiant students clashing with armed police in centers of learning have stunned the world. Students are starting to die and be shot in these protests.

Democratic student leaders of Hong Kong are already being punished for standing up for what they believe in.

#BREAKING | Court forbids My Europe Trip



1/ High court banned me from traveling to European Parliaments today, claiming a risk of absconding. By depriving of my right to freedom of movement, the court has imposed an extra punishment before I was proven guilty. pic.twitter.com/IkP7ccYm6Z — Joshua Wong 黃之鋒 😷 (@joshuawongcf) November 19, 2019

According to the Financial Times, police tactics are again under scrutiny as the siege at Hong Kong Polytechnic University continues and the territory’s chief executive Carrie Lam urges talks to resolve the crisis. When you shoot a student point-blank for protesting, that’s how you extinguish rule of law for the 7 million people living in Hong Kong.

Beijing Does Not Believe in Hong Kong’s Special Status

Hong Kong’s judicial independence may be quickly coming to an end. Beijing’s tolerance of the situation appears to be running out.

Just hours ago, the United States Senate passed the Hong Kong Human Rights & Democracy Act, reports Reuters. The legislation was passed on Tuesday aims at protecting human rights in Hong Kong amid China’s crackdown on a pro-democracy protest movement. This also might cause the President to take a harder stance on trade war negotiations.

Beijing, of course, considers this interference in domestic affairs. the “Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act” now goes to the House of Representatives, which earlier approved its own version of the measure.

The 1984 Joint Declaration, a duly ratified international treaty, controls the status of #HongKong, not the whim of Beijing — Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) November 18, 2019

Republican Senator Marco Rubio said, “The people of Hong Kong see what’s coming – they see the steady effort to erode the autonomy and their freedoms,” as he accused Beijing of “violence and repression.” Brexit and Hong Kong among protests in many areas of the planet show the kind of geopolitical instability we can expect in the 2020s.

Hong Kong is now Under a Totalitarian Kind of Rule of Law

China is built by engineers and the U.S. is built by lawyers but China is engineering a different future outside of the confines of democracy, freedom and “basic laws”. The Chinese Government is the rule of law and Hong Kong won’t likely get their way.

Beijing insists it has and holds the sole authority to rule on constitutional matters in the region. Yet the world has been watching in shock with some of the most startling footage of pictures and videos of the protests we’ve ever seen from Asia, the makings of a revolution.

Already as of November, 2019 more than 4,400 people have been arrested in the city since the protests began over a bungled bid to introduce an extradition law that would have made it easier to send people to mainland China. The situation shows no signs of dying down.

Officers are only supposed to use their weapons as a last resort if their life is threatened. But the police appear to be under instruction to use more force, intimidation, and brutality if necessary. It’s a bit odd that we care so much about a few students in Hong Kong when in Xinjiang, in Northwest China, is home to many mostly Muslim Uighurs, they live in concentration-camp like conditions.

The United States has a vested interest in protecting Hong Kong and Taiwan however as semi-western territories with a viable history of democracy, liberty, and independence. Hong Kong will be keenly watched as we head into 2020.