Tim Oakes: The Hong Kong protests and China’s unsettled territory

from Hang Tung Chow, on Twitter

There has been no shortage of commentary and interpretation in the media about the recent and on-going protests in Hong Kong.  While there are many fascinating and important aspects of the situation being discussed – most prominently the questions of how Beijing will react, whether any concessions will be granted by the Hong Kong government, whether CY Leung will be forced to step down, or whether a violent crackdown is imminent – one of the most fascinating aspects is the way the protests draw our attention toward the broader question of China’s (unsettled) territory.  As Louisa Lim has suggested in a New York Times op-ed piece, these protests are about much more than electoral reform and democracy.  They’re about Hong Kong’s social, cultural, and political identity as a part of China, but also as part of the world.  This is not to say…