[CharlesColeman]

> It does not really benefit CCP to turn it into a province which is less prosperous in many ways.

What? The CCP cares far more about exerting control than about HK's prosperity. Especially now that they have dozens of equally prosperous but politically pacified cities.

There was a time that the CCP felt it benefited from HK's special status, when foreigners were more comfortable doing business there, but those days are in the past.