Tang ahead of the color curve

What does it mean when the color white isn't pure white?

In the mainland, the use of blank, white papers in recent demonstrations against Covid curbs across the country may also be viewed as an icon protesting against censorship. Nonetheless, protests have mostly receded since local governments began easing lockdowns.

In Hong Kong, Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung has expanded its meaning to include "color revolution."

Pointing at small rallies that were mainly participated in by mainland students studying at SAR universities, Tang raised eyebrows of some critics - including former RTHK satire show host Tsang Chi-ho - as he said those could be a fledging color revolution.

The other color revolution Tang had in mind when making the comment must be the large-scale anti-government protests in 2019. Beijing categorized those demonstrations and riots as an attempt at a "color revolution" and ordered a crackdown that led to numerous arrests.

It may be ironic but the most outstanding difference between now and then is that Beijing decision-makers have not yet gone as far as before - at the very least in public - to define the recent protests in mainland cities as a color revolution.

When President Xi Jinping saw visiting European Council president Charles Michel in Beijing, he told his guest that the demonstrators were mainly university students fed up with restrictions and that the zero-Covid policy may be eased in view of the prevalence of the Omicron variant.

Throughout the top-level conversation, no reference was made to a "color revolution" - or anything close to that.

In public, Tang is believed to be the first official not only in the city but the country as a whole to draw reference to a "color revolution" as he commented on the small rallies being held in solidarity with demonstrators in the mainland.

Critics including Tsang may like to ridicule Tang for moving ahead of Beijing to give the incidents a political definition. Yet, the critics may also consider giving Tang some kind of credit for jumping the gun because he may have prevented a "color revolution" from budding.

Who can say for certain whether or not people would again, to use the security secretary's own words, occupy the streets, resort to violence, throw petrol bombs or ravage university campuses were it not due to his preemptive warning.

Nevertheless, it is noteworthy that neither Wen Wei Po nor Tai Kung Pao accorded conspicuous coverage to Tang's warning.

Not even pro-Beijing political figures, who are usually quick to toe the party line, talked about it. Much to the contrary, they are maintaining a low profile at the expense of potential news headlines over the protests.

They may know very well that it can be politically sensitive to give what occurred across China last weekend a definitive classification when even state media appeared to have avoided doing so in the absence of blessing from the highest authority.

It is sensitive because mainland students are educated to be patriotic.

As revealed by Xi, the line to take is: the protests were not due to a color revolution but frustration over Covid curbs.