Hong Kong

The stabbing of a former news editor is a symptom of a broader squeeze on the city’s freedoms.

As mainlanders head to Hong Kong to protest, Chinese authorities are increasingly cracking down on the former British colony.

This month’s selection of a pro-Beijing chief executive sparked anger in Hong Kong. The city has a long and awkward history of being at the mercy of others.

Fifteen years after its “return” to China, Hong Kong remains insecure about its future. Will Beijing respond to the city’s anxieties by relaxing or tightening its grip?

Despite early fears freedoms would be curtailed after their colony was returned to Beijing, many in Hong Kong now see ties as an opportunity.

In stand-alone terms, Hong Kong’s statistics are impressive. It was the world’s 12th largest trading economy in 2007, with a GDP in excess of US$200 billion.