2019 Hong Kong Anti-Extradition Bill Protests - Granting Hong Kong democracy? Not until later

The deal never contained Democracy for Hong Kong, only that there is a transitional period from Hong Kong's to China's system and will run out in 2047.

But that was typical UK diplomacy: have run times that seem like a long time but don't have any plans on what you do once that runs out. (Hong Kong too was just lended to them as spoils for the Opium Wars for a period of 100 years, not forever)

Of course seeing how there are still 27 years to go, China is establishing it's own system WAY too quick and pretty much violating their end of the bargain.

But yee, democracy for the citizens of HK was never part of the deal, I guess the UK was hoping that socialism in China would collapse with the rest of the Soviet Union and transition to democracy by itself. Which didn't happen… and I won't bet on it happening in the next 27 years. East Asian cultures are too resistant to change there, even the democratic ones are super authoritarian for our standards (South Korea and Jaoan). It would require a LOT of misery for them to revolt. Like apocalypse levels of misery.

You really can't compare China to any of the European deomcracies, its entire system of government is pretty alien when you actually look into it. Its legislature is a joke, the party holds all the real power, the army belongs to the party and not the country as a whole, their rule of law and constitution is a hoax, etc. The CCP is weirdly more similar to the Dynasties that came before it in terms of outlook and methodology.