[skinnymuch]

Forcefully reintegrated? Colonialism was the forceful part. Not a country having control of its own land.

He isn’t demanding any will of the people. Unlike the EU, US, etc, Chinese people are actually happy with their democratic China. In no way in Europe or US can a city claim they want “democratic” independence and go completely against the rest of the country on the side of recent protests and meddling by outside state depts. They would correctly be viewed as traitors and agitators.

[StopDisinfo910]

The PRC never owned Hong-Kong before the handover and I don't remember the population of Hong-Kong voting for reintegration so yes, forcefully reintegrated seems like a nice way to frame it. Actually taken over would be more correct, traded as merchandise would also be appropriate I guess. You get the idea.

[hnfong]

Much of Hong Kong was under a 99 year lease. Which is why the Brits had to hand it back in 1997 when the lease expired.

Sure, it was a lease from the Qing dynasty which doesn't exist any more, but still.

[skinnymuch]

China existed 100 years ago. Hong Kong is Chinese. I have never come across a person who isn’t a bigot and raging chauvinist who tries to act like the Chinese civilization and the PRC are distinct things. Though not saying you are, you may be an exception

[CrossVR]

Europe actually has quite a few independent cities with their own little micro nations that are democratically independent.

[skinnymuch]

How can they be democratically independent when the entire continent is controlled by NATO? Democracy means something. Democracy can’t exist while you’re a vassal state.

[Yizahi]

There is nothing democratic about China. This is just a fact. Admittedly western countries are also not democratic per definition, but at least they have an elected oligarchy, which is miles closer to democracy than Chinese despotic regime. Even if the regime in China is kinda benevolent to the subjects, it doesn't matter for this question. Democracy is a word used a for a very specific thing, and it's completely absent in China.

[jajuuka]

So all the elections that happen in China are not democratic?

[skinnymuch]

“Used for a specific thing”. Democracy doesn’t mean liberalism. You can’t take a word and make up a meaning. Democracy is a govt that is the will of the people. China is quite literally democratic per that definition. While Europe and the west are not at all.

Also electoralism isn’t democracy. The west is not the entire world. What the west says does not make things so.