In yet another screeching editorial on Hong Kong, Chinese state media's Global Times newspaper explained on Friday how democratic powers can be nice to Hongkongers:

"If western countries regard themselves as Hong Kong's then adoptive parents, they should tell the child to get along well with its birth parents and adapt to the new environment, if they really love the child."

Yes, the slightly psychotic Orwellian language, which is consistent in Chinese propaganda, reads very weird. But the better translation here is: "If western countries regard themselves as Hongkongers' friends, they should tell Hongkongers to kneel to Xi Jinping's throne and adapt to servility." The basic line that says it all is: "adapt to the new environment."

Remind you of anything?

"You will adapt to service us, resistance is futile." It's the same language as the Borg Collective of Star Trek lore. Like the Borg, the Chinese Communist Party value human lives only as mechanisms of greater state power. It's morally foul. But it does speak to the great difference between America and our foremost geopolitical adversary.

Still, at least Xi is angry over our support for democratic movements in Hong Kong and beyond.