Hong Kong's unique but working system

摘要

The slogan given to the arrangements between Hong Kong and China, following the transfer of sovereignty from the UK to China in 1997, is 'one country, two systems'. Unique in character, it was always going to be a challenging project But, the recent student protests on the streets of Hong Kong - dubbed the Umbrella Revolution - suggest not so much that the system is failing but that it is more or less working. The same style of protest could not be held over the border in mainland China without much more serious repercussions. So far, thankfully, the demonstrators have been dealt with by the local police in a restrained manner.