Hong Kong has been a flashpoint in the news off and on since March of 2019, when thousands of people took to the streets in protest of a proposed extradition bill. Since then the bill was officially withdrawn but the situation remains troubled. More recently, China passed a national security law that could completely change Hong Kong's relationship with the mainland, yet how the law will be implemented remains to be seen.

The dynamic between Beijing and Hong Kong is what Alfred Wu, Associate Professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy would call a "centre periphery" relationship. That may sound a bit formal, but it incorporates all the drama and uncertainty of the current situation. I asked him to explain his analysis. Later we address the national security law.