Most people in China don't protest because: 1. they don't get enough benefit from protesting 2. they are happy
Most fellows on HN, respectfully, barely has any understanding on how CCP works internally.
Do they imagine that a bunch of Chinese officials form a party just to think about how to enslave/suppress people and inhale money everyday?
It's all about national interest, people are just pawn. On the HK matter: CCP brainwashes Chinese by amplifying the violent aspect of the protest. Western media brainwashes westerners by understating the damage caused by protest and glorifying their actions.
At the end of day, none of this matters. Power is power. Someone will figure out how to "fix" HK's education system. Leaders of protest go to good US uni on scholarship and have a good life. Fugitives will still need to be handled somehow. Game of monopoly will continue.
Life will go on.
Also, the people who are protesting are crushed like what happens in Tibet or Xinjiang.
A strong central government might be good for the majority but surely when it suppresses the minorities to just get them in line with the rest, you can't overlook that.