bodyType

customContents

entityId

printArticlePageQuery

filter

article

body

urlAlias

articleSectionsContent

articleSeoArticle

articleSourceHeaderArticle

contentSchemaRenderContent

contentSubHeadlineContent

contentHeadlineContent

mainImagePrintArticleArticle

authorBlockPrintArticleArticle

contentSponsorTagContent

articlePaywallCheckerContent

scmpYoutubeContent

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

query printArticlePageQuery(
  $entityId: String!
  $customContents: [CustomContentInput]
  $bodyType: BodyFormatTypeEnum
) {
  article(filter: {entityId: $entityId}) {
    entityId
    body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
      json
    }
    urlAlias
    ...articleSectionsContent
    ...articleSeoArticle_3o8td4
    ...articleSourceHeaderArticle
    ...contentSchemaRenderContent
    ...contentSubHeadlineContent
    ...contentHeadlineContent
    ...mainImagePrintArticleArticle
    ...authorBlockPrintArticleArticle
    ...contentSponsorTagContent
    ...articlePaywallCheckerContent
    ...scmpYoutubeContent
    ...hooksTrackPageViewArticle
    id
  }
}

fragment articlePaywallCheckerContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksPaywallPromiseContent
}

fragment articleSectionsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      ...helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection
      ...entityLink
      name
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment articleSeoArticle_3o8td4 on Article {
  ...hooksArticleSeoArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersGetArticleTypeArticle
  entityId
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
  summary {
    text
  }
  subHeadline {
    text
  }
  body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
    text
  }
  keywords
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  topics {
    name
    entityId
    id
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  images {
    style(filter: {style: "768x768"}) {
      url
    }
  }
  readingTime
}

fragment articleSourceHeaderArticle on Article {
  urlAlias
  ...entityLink
}

fragment authorBlockPrintArticleArticle on Article {
  ...defaultArticleDateContent
  ...authorNamesArticle
}

fragment authorNameAuthor on Author {
  ...entityLink
  name
  entityUuid
}

fragment authorNamesArticle on Article {
  authorLocations
  authors {
    entityId
    location
    ...authorNameAuthor
    id
  }
}

fragment blockquoteQuoteContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment contentHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  socialHeadline
  ...contentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
}

fragment contentNewsletterWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
    id
  }
  sections {
    value {
      relatedNewsletters {
        ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
        id
      }
      id
    }
  }
  ... on Article {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment contentSchemaRenderContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...blockquoteQuoteContent
  ...imageContent
  ...inlineWidgetContent
  ...photoGalleryWidgetContent
  ...scmpYoutubeContent
}

fragment contentShareWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  shortUrl
  socialHeadline
  headline
}

fragment contentSponsorTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentSubHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  subHeadline {
    json
  }
  summary {
    json
  }
  ...contentSchemaRenderContent
}

fragment defaultArticleDateContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksArticleDateUtilsContent
}

fragment entityLink on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  __typename
  entityId
  entityUuid
  urlAlias
  urlRedirect {
    toUrl
    id
  }
  application {
    entityId
    id
  }
  ... on Section {
    fullSectionPath {
      entityId
      id
    }
    parentSection
  }
  ...helpersAppBarVariantBase
  ...helpersApplicationBase
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersAppBarVariantBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsLiveArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...helpersSectionContent
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersApplicationBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
}

fragment helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection on Section {
  name
}

fragment helpersCheckIsLiveArticle on Article {
  flattenTypeIds
  liveArticle {
    status
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusArticle on Article {
  paywallTypes {
    entityUuid
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsStyleArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersGetArticleTypeArticle on Article {
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter on Newsletter {
  entityId
  name
  alternativeName
  description {
    text
  }
  summary {
    text
  }
  homepageDescription {
    text
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle on Article {
  authors {
    types
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersStyleSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersUseContentSponsorContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    sponsor {
      ...sponsorTagSponsor
      name
      type
      id
    }
    id
  }
  ... on Article {
    sponsorType
  }
  ...helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent
}

fragment hooksArticleDateUtilsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  createdDate
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
}

fragment hooksArticleSeoArticle on Article {
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
  entityId
  headline
  socialHeadline
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
  topics {
    sponsor {
      entityId
      id
    }
    id
  }
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  images {
    generic_og: style(filter: {style: "og_image_scmp_generic"}) {
      url
    }
    styles(filter: {styles: ["og_image_posties_article", "og_postmag", "og_image_style", "og_image_scmp_analysis", "og_image_scmp_explainer", "og_image_scmp_editorial", "og_image_scmp_fact_check", "og_image_scmp_debate", "og_image_scmp_live", "og_image_scmp_obituary", "og_image_scmp_opinion", "og_image_scmp_review", "og_image_scmp_series", "og_image_scmp_generic"]}) {
      url
      style
    }
    type
  }
  disableOffPlatformContent
  published
  sponsorType
  urlAlias
}

fragment hooksContentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        name
        entityId
        description {
          text
        }
        id
      }
    }
    ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  }
  flag
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  ...hooksContentHelperContent
}

fragment hooksContentHelperContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle
  ...helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle
  ...helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle
  flag
}

fragment hooksPaywallPromiseContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment hooksTrackPageViewArticle on Article {
  entityId
  publishedDate
  headline
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  entityUuid
}

fragment imageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  ...checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent
}

fragment inlineWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentNewsletterWidgetContent
}

fragment mainImagePrintArticleArticle on Article {
  images {
    title
    url
    isSlideshow
    size_652x446: style(filter: {style: "652x446"}) {
      url
    }
  }
}

fragment photoGalleryDialogContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment photoGalleryWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...photoGalleryDialogContent
}

fragment scmpYoutubeContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  publishedDate
}

fragment sponsorTagSponsor on Sponsor {
  name
  type
  images {
    url
  }
}


sections

paywallTypes

headline

socialHeadline

types

authors

topics

images

disableOffPlatformContent

published

sponsorType

publishedDate

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

keywords

readingTime

authorLocations

entityUuid

Tammy Tam

Hong Kong, “Asia’s world city”, has become the battleground for a new type of urban “guerilla warfare” – defiant anti-government protesters have adopted a “flash mob” strategy, as evidenced in their hit-and-run rampage against police across several districts over the weekend.
Police have been changing tactics as well, standing firmer and rejecting most rally applications, which has seen all those angry young people continue to take to the streets in gatherings that are officially illegal.
The past week also saw an “awakened” Hong Kong government becoming publicly visible again, after Beijing began mobilising its forces in the city to counter the protest narrative and issued instructions to restore order in the city.
But the impasse remains, with no sign of a compromise from any side and no light at the end of the tunnel.
Beijing has other non-military ‘weapons’ in its arsenal that are powerful enough to shake up the city
With an embattled chief executive and an exhausted police force struggling to end the chaos, Beijing now feels obliged to step in, especially upon seeing a direct challenge to its sovereignty through the desecration of the national emblem and Chinese flag by protesters.
Zhang Xiaoming, one of Beijing’s top officials in charge of Hong Kong affairs, declared in Shenzhen last week that the central government would have “multiple means and enough force” to tackle the mayhem, which he described as “the most serious situation in Hong Kong” since the handover in 1997.
While many are wondering about the deployment of Chinese troops in the worst-case scenario, it turns out that Beijing has other non-military “weapons” in its arsenal that are powerful enough to shake up the city.
Cathay Pacific has become the first target, ordered by the Civil Aviation Administration of China to ban staff who took part in illegal protests and violent acts from all mainland-bound flights, or any flight though Chinese air space.
The regulator’s drastic action against Hong Kong’s flagship carrier, citing “safety and security” risks, was seen as a stern warning to other big businesses in the city of possible consequences if they were seen to support and tolerate protest violence and lawlessness.

Another obvious method employed by Beijing is pushing Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor and her administration to clean up their own mess, but simultaneously showing full support for Lam, whose popularity has plunged, as well as the embattled police force.
It’s only common sense that the other side of this “support” coin means an urgent wake-up call for action.
That well explains Lam’s sudden return to visibility and decision to end the month-long summer break – or “summer hibernation”, as some sarcastically put it – of her de facto cabinet, the Executive Council. She also asked Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po to consider rolling out contingency relief measures to help affected businesses
Not relying only on pushing the Lam administration, Beijing has also adopted its usual mass-mobilisation strategy to throw its weight behind a citywide anti-violence campaign.

It has urged the pro-establishment camp, rampant with infighting, to set aside personal interests and support the government, and applied a carrot-and-stick approach to persuade big businesses to stand up and be counted, allowing certain mainland media outlets to criticise the “collective silence” of some tycoon families on the protest crisis.
On Saturday, when Lam picked up a phone call from the British foreign secretary demanding an explanation of the latest situation in Hong Kong, China’s foreign ministry slammed Britain, saying it was wrong to exert pressure directly on Hong Kong. It was also a subtle reminder to Lam that this was a foreign affairs issue that should be tackled by Beijing.
While the directive to “clean up your own mess” is clear enough, Beijing is ironically still visibly involved in forming major strategies concerning Hong Kong.
Whether we blame Beijing, Lam, the protesters, or anyone else, the reality is that the rules of the game have changed – so how do we avoid a lose-lose scenario for Hong Kong?
Sadly, there are no real answers yet.


Rules of the game have changed in Hong Kong’s protest crisis

Chief Executive Carrie Lam at San Wai Barracks on Sunday. Beijing has shown full support for the city’s leader, whose popularity has plunged. Photo: Nora Tam

Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po, meets the press at the Central Government Offices, Tamar, after attending a Financial Leaders Forum meeting. 07AUG19 SCMP / May Tse

Riot police attempts to disperse the group of anti-extradition bill protestors in Tsim Sha Tsui - the protestors pressed on with protests despite the police ban on several protest marches that were scheduled for this weekend, in Wong Tai Sin, Tai Po, Sham Shui Po and east Hong Kong Island. 10AUG19 SCMP / Sam Tsang

News

Hong Kong

Politics

Opinion

Comment


New tactics in the streets – and fresh approaches from city and central government leaders – still cannot break the impasse
But beneath Beijing’s order to ‘clean up your own mess’ is an urgent call for action



New tactics in the streets cannot break the impasse – but beneath Beijing’s order to ‘clean up your own mess’ is an urgent call for action.


Hong Kong extradition bill

Hong Kong protests

Expresses the views, ideas and conclusions of the author. (Eg. Enough of Crazy Rich Asians, think of crazy poor Hongkongers.)


Column

City Beat

City Beat | Rules of the game have changed in Hong Kong’s protest crisis

New tactics in the streets – and fresh approaches from city and central government leaders – still cannot break the impasse But beneath Beijing’s order to ‘clean up your own mess’ is an urgent call for action

New tactics in the streets – and fresh approaches from city and central government leaders – still cannot break the impasse

But beneath Beijing’s order to ‘clean up your own mess’ is an urgent call for action