The Chinese leadership, through their mouthpieces in their embassies in Canberra, London and Washington, are these days mouthing veiled and not so veiled threats of ‘consequences’ against their host nations. This bellicose stance strikes me as perverse, given that the actions the Chinese are responding to are in themselves ‘consequences’ of their actions.  

Like the new laws they forced upon Hong Kong in breach of the treaties surrounding the return of territory signed with the British, effectively putting Hong Kongers under much feared and untrustworthy Chinese jurisdiction.