Hong Kong has been the site of a long struggle for democracy. Last year, protesters took to the streets over a controversial extradition bill. And just last month, Beijing imposed a wide-reaching national security law threatening Hong Kong’s autonomy.

Today on the show, we hear the latest developments from Timothy McLaughlin, a Hong Kong–based contributing writer at The Atlantic. He gives context for the news by discussing Hong Kong’s relationship to China, the difference between Hong Kong independence and the more popular demands for universal suffrage and democracy, 2014’s Umbrella Movement, and the state of press freedom in HK and the mainland treatment of foreign correspondents and local news reporters.

Cover photo by Kon Karampelas on Unsplash