Protest anthem ‘Glory to Hong Kong’ captures perfectly the spirit of a movement that does not seek independence but, rather, freedom from Beijing’s ever-tightening leash. With long-cherished rights under threat and the civil unrest touching its bloodiest point yet, the anger is boiling over.

While peaceful mass protests went nowhere, violent unrest got Beijing to acknowledge the problem of unaffordable housing in the city, forced some concessions from Carrie Lam, and spurred overdue soul-searching. But, when the protests ebb, will Beijing further tighten its grip on the city?

The chilling events of the past week – including the multiple arrests of activists and lawmakers, and the brutal police beating of train passengers – underline the erosion of Hong Kong’s freedoms, and of ‘one country, two systems’.

Beijing is mistaken if it thinks Hong Kong can be ruled with a communist mindset. Going after core Hong Kong values can only backfire.

Beijing is seething after Hong Kong protesters defaced national emblems. It would be even more embarrassed if the 70th national anniversary was marred by scenes of unrest. The authorities need to work out how to meet protesters’ demands.

By condemning the defacing of the national emblem before the attacks on commuters in Yuen Long, Carrie Lam and Beijing displayed a lack of understanding of what Hongkongers value. Having missed the window of opportunity for reconciliation, only political reform will suffice.

The mass movement – distinct from the small group of violent protesters – should be honoured for its peaceful call for freedom and democracy. It’s time for Beijing to listen, and give Hongkongers a chance to prove how sensible they can be.

Beijing needs to understand that the extradition bill is just the latest in a string of proposed policy actions, including national security legislation and restrictive universal suffrage, that threaten Hong Kong’s basic character.

Both the Chinese and Hong Kong governments seem to be taking the view that the unrest over the extradition bill has been stirred up by external forces. Backtracking on the bill would now be seen as capitulation to the West, not just Hong Kong youth.

Hong Kong has an extradition treaty with Germany, so why didn’t the government seek to have the Mong Kok pair returned? Probably because it didn’t want the city’s dirty linen washed in public, amid perceptions that our freedoms are being eroded.

Hongkongers fear that there are many pretexts on which they could be extradited to the mainland – having patronised Dongguan’s sex trade is just one of them. The government created the crisis by introducing the ill-advised bill, now it must solve it.

Five years after the failure of the Occupy movement, protesters are out in force again. The latest protest against the government’s proposed extradition arrangement with the mainland is the biggest since Lam became chief executive.

Singapore is clean, convenient and meets its citizens’ housing needs, although political free speech is limited. Hong Kong has none of the benefits, and its edge in personal liberties is rapidly eroding.

Unification by force would be devastating for the region, including Hong Kong, and must be avoided, while the option of a Hong Kong-style ‘one country, two systems’ is dead on arrival. Perhaps there is a third way.

In this new cold war, the US and other democracies that abide by fair and open rules of engagement cannot stop China claiming its place as the world’s No 1 superpower. Where will that leave the rest of us?

Beijing and Hong Kong have accused a US diplomat of interfering in the city’s affairs. But the State Department has a duty under US law to monitor whether Hong Kong retains a high degree of autonomy and thus remains eligible for special status.

Resistance in Hong Kong to the idea of transferring fugitives to the mainland stands in stark contrast to the openness to an extradition arrangement with Taiwan.

Two decades after Tung Chee-hwa promised to maintain Hong Kong’s liberties and enhance quality of life, the city is clearly going backwards in both categories.

The rare sight of a legislature united in opposing an unpopular government plan is to be welcomed. Unfortunately, with the pro-Beijing loyalists caving in within a day, their defiance did not last long enough to make a difference.

Huffing and puffing at every perceived slight only exposes Chinese netizens’ lack of self-confidence. Given that Chinese people themselves have been unapologetically peddling racist tropes, the double standard is grating.

China and the US have changed drastically under Xi and Trump’s leadership, for the worse in many ways, destabilising global relations.

The arrest of Huawei’s Sabrina Meng Wanzhou means Hong Kong officials need to think twice before further eroding political freedoms and drawing Washington’s attention.

Chief executive Carrie Lam does not seem to grasp the seriousness of the situation in her reaction to a critical US congressional report. If the US chooses to use Hong Kong as a chess piece in its trade war against China, and removes its special trading status, the city will be severely hit.

The Carrie Lam administration should stop pretending that things are the same in Hong Kong. Hong Kong has become a city where a journalist is blacklisted as a tourist, and an arts venue needs to second-guess Beijing.

Hong Kong doesn’t have a choice in which side it will take in the cold war between the US and China, but it must plan for a changed reality.

New Article 23 legislation can be expected to target not only pro-independence groups, but also localists, and this would signal the end of the freedoms that make Hong Kong unique.

The US president’s steady approval ratings, despite the scandals surrounding him, show that he is not only telling people what they want to hear but that his policies have merit.