The CCP Used Hong Kong’s Property Tycoons, Then Dumped Them

Read MoreCommentary News of a sham election in Hong Kong indicates the deterioration of democracy in the world’s fragrant harbor, and China’s dumping of pro-tycoon candidates that it no longer needs. Beijing used to use the tycoons as a counterbalance against pro-democracy candidates, but now that it rejiggered “elections” in its favor, all but one of the elected candidates are pro-Beijing, and there is no more need for the CCP-tycoon coalition. This illustrates a pattern in Chinese Communist Party tactics, that use businesses when convenient, but then discards them when power is acquired. The West and allies should take note, as similar tactics are being used against them in cities as diverse as Washington, Brussels, London, Delhi, and Tokyo. Beijing is trying to spin the leadership selection process in Hong Kong as democratic. A spokesman of Beijing’s Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office said on Monday that the election implemented the …