Commentary
One of the most significant battlegrounds of the Hong Kong crisis isn’t in Hong Kong, but in China. That battleground is the minds of the mainland Chinese people. Even as the staging of military equipment and personnel outside of the city continues, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is diligently working to shape the people’s opinion regarding the protests.
Controlling the Flow of Information
Like all dictatorships, controlling the narrative is a big part of how the CCP stays in power. Because the internet and social media are both heavily censored by Beijing, any accurate reports on the nature of the protests will have minimal impact before they are quickly
taken down. What’s more, those who post news or opinion that’s contrary to the official interpretation of the Hong Kong protests risk serious consequences, including arrest and imprisonment.
