News Analysis

HK protests unnerving to top Chinese leaders who place stability as top priority, say analysts

A protester outside the Legislative Council Complex in Hong Kong on June 15, 2019. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
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BEIJING - In January this year, Chinese President Xi Jinping called an unexpected meeting of top Communist Party officials in Beijing.

At the meeting, the party chief warned them to be on guard for unpredictable "black swans" and predictable "grey rhinos", which refer to unforeseen threats and neglected risks that are in plain sight.

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