So the Tibetans are at it again. It's been several months since the first of dozens of incidences of death-by-self-barbecue in the latest episode of dissent on display by the oppressed Tibetans.
Then there are the flag wavers in Hong Kong - haven't seen them out in such great numbers before.
What next? Xinjiang?
Flag waving of this kind (in the context of one-country-two-systems) and self-barbecue are both ridiculous forms of protest (my opinion), each an opposite extreme of the other, but they are forms of expression nonetheless. You have got to ask yourself, how freaking bad does it have to get before you decide to take your own life in any fashion whatsoever to demonstrate your disgust at and rejection of the status quo. I don't know if it is regarded as extreme in Tibet, as it is tolerated in Buddhism. Looking at it objectively though, I think both forms of protest represent increasing dissatisfaction at the stagnant rate of social, political and judicial reform on the mainland.
However, instead of resolving these issues (too boring?), the CCP is busy picking fights with its neighbours. Like we've seen before with ASEAN members, now even the Japanese are running to the Americans for help.
What is going on behind closed doors in this conference? Discussions over the blue prints of a real multi-party, China-style democracy? Easing of information control and anti-subversion laws? How to introduce freedom of speech and association without upsetting social stability? Or how to extend more of the same for yet another decade?
I'm not so optimistic. It looks as though the CCP have decided to go it alone, and I don't see this ending well.