Confirm Eligible Hong Kongers as British Citizens

Five years ago, China said it would screen candidates for election to chief executive in Hong Kong. Some of the protesters who first unfurled umbrellas in response to that announcement, to complain about Beijing’s heavy finger on the electoral scales, were arrested on Friday. Joshua Wong—who, as a 14-year-old, helped organize those protests—was among those detained. China’s promise, 30 years ago, of One Country, Two Systems gave millions the assurance that their rights and wealth would be guaranteed in the new Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The events of the past few weeks, though, pose a question: Can the system that has seen the city-state prosper survive?

The dual regime that has paid off for everyone is under greater pressure than ever before. China’s troops wait on the mainland