Violence in Hong Kong; Shanghai's STAR surges; Huawei and North Korea; Xinjiang white paper

Developments in Hong Kong over the weekend are very disturbing, and the violence in Yuen Long as vigilantes beat anyone they thought had participated in the Sunday protests is shocking given Hong Kong’s reputation for the rule of law. The official response from Beijing is increasingly harsh, and the propaganda organs are in overdrive to depict the protestors as ungrateful troublemakers stirred up by evil foreign forces.

There are glimmers of progress in US-China trade talks, though I would temper optimism for a real breakthrough. The South China Morning Post reports the US team may be heading to Beijing imminently and there are signs Beijing may be teeing up an agricultural goods purchase for which President Trump has made clear he is desperate. However, expect Huawei to remain a sticking point regardless of the outcome of the meeting at the White House today with major US tech companies to discuss sales to Huawei.

Congratulations are in order to Shanghai for the successful opening of…