[latch]

"chose Hong Kong in part because 'they have a spirited commitment to free speech and the right of political dissent.' There's some truth to that, certainly in the context of China"

I spent two years in Hong Kong and from everything I saw and heard, free speech is more than real only "in the context of China". It was something I noticed early and often...even compared to Canada (my home country). In particular, respect was two-ways...protesters weren't hellbent on wanton destruction and the police wasn't violent at all.

I'd walk by some Chinese government building every day. The security was tight. Once or twice a month there'd be decent sized protests...The police was there in large numbers, but I never saw a single incident of violence or force. People were allowed to express themselves without any fear.