Because Xi ham-fistedly forced through a badly-written security law [1] and intervened in its politics [2]. It’s like stupid Tiannamen Square.
> long-term thinking and patience was essentially the reason China was able to gain back control Hong Kong from the Brits
China was rational under the CCP. It’s myopic under Xi.
> don't know how you'd come to the conclusion that they would forego long term potential for short term gains
They already did.
Hong Kong’s mess was avoidable. Most Taiwanese identifying as Taiwanese and not Chinese was avoidable [3]. The trade wars, and China being reëclipsed in manufacturing by U.S. + Japan + Deutschland, were avoidable [4]. The bank losses on overseas loans were avoidable [5]. The corruption in the rocket forces, which guarantees no Taiwan action until China’s military strength is past its relative nadir, was avoidable [6].
All of these missteps would not have happened under proper CCP leadership. They are expressions of Xi’s personal hubris. China sacrificed the immortality of its state for the favour of its mortal dictator; it’s possibly the luckiest geopolitical stroke for America after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
> during the 1970s, China also threatened to invade Hong Kong if the Brits didn't hand it back to them. They want you to think the leadership is irrational
But they didn’t. That’s rational.
[1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_Hong_Kong_extradition_b...
[2] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-56264117
[3] https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/01/16/most-peop...
[4] https://www.safeguardglobal.com/resources/top-10-manufacturi...
[5] https://www.ft.com/content/da01c562-ad29-4c34-ae5e-a0aafddd3...
[6] https://www.reuters.com/world/china/chinas-military-rocket-f...