Since when has China's communist party allowed any alternative power structure or organization to be established. There is no independent religion or educational system. There are no western-style civil rights. They are a system based on control, not on open market freedom.

This is an issue because Hong Kong was based on the British system and they had a western-style economy. They understand free markets - free markets are an anathema to Chinese leadership.

This isn't just a problem within China- the rest of the world trades with China -but their currency is pegged to another. In other words- there is no price discovery in their currency- it's value is what THEY SAY IT IS!

This is not the way that fair trade is established. China has no interest in fair trade- only trade that benefits them according to their perspective. There is no give and take- no negotiation between equals.

This is why China thinks it can sell tainted food to America- doctored gluten that cost thousands of pets their lives. Seafood and toothpaste with added chemicals that are banned in the US.

China is far from the principals America was founded on. These are principals the Chinese in Hong Kong and Taiwan are very familiar with, and they like the freedoms. China has no idea of how to deal with open dissent, and their clumsy efforts to stymie debate reveal just how backwards they are in this area of politics.

It was a serious mistake for the west to deal with China on their terms. There is an inherent conflict between their desire for control and stability by force and western stability based on free will. The problem is that the west is becoming more like China- authortarian and unreflective of the will of the people.