“would only say to the Hong Kong protestors, that they need the rest of the people of Hong Kong and they will turn off the general Hong Kong population,”
No way.
Support is ubiquitous.
“Support is ubiquitous.”
Large yes, but not ubiquitous. If only that were true.
The bad news is so many of the decision makers in Hong are of older generations and for them the emphasis is on doing business and social stability. The good news is that it is the younger generations (a majority of them) in Hong that more frequently identify with Hong Kong and not as “Chinese” in the Chinese nationalist sense. The other bad news - it all likely does not matter. The dictatorship will have its way, sooner or later, and there will be no active political opposition left operating. That is not my desire or hope, but I believe it to be the sad reality.
That is why I say, after Tiananmen Square II is over, offer U.S. green cards to all Hong Kong registered citizens.