I think a lot of HNers who live in Western countries (myself included) are so jaded with our respective governments subservience to the US that it's very nice for once to see a small country not immediately bend over and lube up the minute the US asks it to.
> it's very nice for once to see a small country not immediately bend over and lube up the minute the US asks it to.
Ah, but Hong Kong is not like any other small country. It is an autonomous region of China, which just happens to be the second most-powerful country in the world.
The United States can put an unlimited amount of diplomatic and economic pressure on a small country. They can keep ratcheting up the pressure until the small country has no choice but to give in. So you might as well give in right away, and avoid upsetting the Americans.
In contrast, the United States can only put a limited amount of pressure on Hong Kong. If the US were to go too far, then Beijing could intervene.
