Better to be satisfied with what they have.

"Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam has said she will withdraw the highly controversial extradition bill which has triggered months of protests. The proposal introduced in April would have allowed criminal suspects to be extradited to mainland China." Hong Kong used to be a British colony and was handed over to China in 1997 which promised to rule the territory on the basis of "one country, two systems", allowing a free judiciary, a free press and free elections. Faced with protests by tens of thousands of citizens Lam suspended the bill but protests continued because people thought that the bill could be passed once protests stop. "Reuters revealed in an exclusive report on Monday that Lam told business leaders last week she had caused 'unforgivable havoc' by introducing the bill and that if she had a choice she would apologise and resign according to a leaked audio recording." She also said that the protests have become a "sovereignty issue" for China. "As you know, they are somehow the work of the US," said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying. "It is an open secret in Hong Kong that the forces protesting the extradition bill have been sponsored by the US," wrote state-sponsored Global Times. The Chief Executive is selected by a committee of 1,200 people selected by Beijing so she has to do what she is told. Why is Lam being forced to stay on when the CEO of Cathay Pacific Rupert Hogg and one of his deputies Paul Loo were forced to sack 4 members of staff and to resign for allowing staff to take part in protests. "These have been challenging weeks for the airline and it is right that Paul and I take responsibility as leaders of the company," said Hogg. In the last few days Cathay Chairman John Slosar has announced his retirement after 39 years with the company. He was forced to go because he told journalists that he "wouldn't dream of telling" airline staff "what to think about something". That is unacceptable to the Chinese Communist Party which tries to control every scrap of information citizens can access and instantly clamps down on any hint of dissent. So Carrie Lam's humiliating climbdown has been ordered by Beijing so that she can be blamed for the mess and fired at a later date. However, in the months that protesters were battling police their demands have grown and they have vowed to continue protesting until all of them are met. Protesters should understand that withdrawal of the bill may prevent foreigners from being transferred to China but will not protect Hong Kong citizens who can simply be kidnapped and taken to a mainland prison, as happened to five booksellers in 2015. Hong Kong is on the brink of recession as businesses and tourism take a hit. China is tolerating the protests as Hong Kong is important to it as a financial center but if businesses leave the island it will lose its importance. If that happens China will not hesitate to hammer it, as it did in Tiananmen Square. Protesters are young and idealistic. They underestimate Chinese government savagery.