I think causation flows the other way. Xi’s regime is facing its first slowdown. Protesters in Hong Kong have morphed from a curiosity to an existential threat to his regime’s power. That changes the relative weight of its national-security threat versus economic value.
Given the world’s muted reaction to Beijing’s hard-handed tactics pre-COVID, it’s difficult to imagine they played a significant role here.
Given the world’s muted reaction to Beijing’s hard-handed tactics pre-COVID, it’s difficult to imagine they played a significant role here.