The Chinese Communist Party has made its final assault on Hong Kong’s democratic system. At General Secretary Xi Jinping’s direction, the Chinese Communist Party is proposing that members of Hong Kong’s democratically elected Legislative Council be vetted and approved by the Election Committee of Hong Kong, a pro-Beijing committee that also selects Hong Kong’s chief executive. Here’s what that means: Anybody who holds office in Hong Kong will be a puppet for Xi and beholden to China’s communist ideals.

In a surprise to no one, Hong Kong’s chief executive, Carrie Lam, is welcoming the destruction of Hong Kong’s democracy. Sadly, she has turned out to be nothing more than a puppet for Beijing, leading the charge to strip Hong Kongers of their democratic freedoms.