The unexpected outbreak of massive pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong has presented authorities in Beijing with a pivotal challenge. China’s ambitious and very powerful president, Xi Jinping, faces a host of options, each loaded with heavy risks.
The choices present three possible paths. Beijing can compromise; it can crack down; or it can watch and wait, hoping the protests will die down.
Whatever path Xi chooses—and make no mistake, it is the Chinese president who will personally decide on a response to the Hong Kong challenge—this is a major test. If Xi chooses the wrong path, the consequences will be severe.