海角大神

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For three months, at least a third of Hong Kong鈥檚 population of only 7 million has been protesting for democratic rights in the streets of the semi-autonomous territory. Yet Beijing鈥檚 powerful leader, Xi Jinping, has not crushed the demonstrations. Why? Does he worry about economic fallout? Or the loss of China鈥檚 hopes to be seen as a benign global leader?

One possibility is that Mr. Xi would be crushing one of his claims to power: the promise of a 鈥淐hina dream.鈥� This grand idea, repeated again and again, rests in part on a racial stereotype. It is the myth that all people of Chinese descent share a cultural unity and their political identity must be defined 鈥� and enforced 鈥� by the Communist Party.

It is this notion of ethnic patriotism 鈥� or bloodlines as destiny 鈥� that has been so ably challenged by the protesters. Their embrace of civil values as a collective identity is not based on dimensions of 鈥淐hineseness.鈥� They have forged a cultural unity around the daily practice of freedom of speech and assembly, equality under a system of law left by British rule, and political transparency and accountability.

Hong Kongers 鈥� which most prefer to be called instead of Chinese 鈥� have coalesced around a shared self-governance, mutual respect, and open-mindedness. The crushing of the protests could not crush this internalized identity. A violent display of authority would expose the empty myth of a homogeneous ethnicity. The emperor would be seen as having no clothes.

Since his rise to power in 2012, Mr. Xi has tried to extend his 鈥淐hina dream鈥� to both Hong Kong and the independent island nation of Taiwan. In a 2015 meeting with Taiwan鈥檚 then-leader, Ma Ying-jeou, he stated, 鈥淲e [China and Taiwan] are brothers connected by flesh even if our bones are broken. We are a family whose blood is thicker than water.鈥�

The Taiwanese, who have enjoyed democracy for three decades, do not buy this claim, especially as it is made under the threat of military coercion. Nearly two-thirds of the country鈥檚 23 million citizens see themselves as Taiwanese, not聽Chinese. Their view is reinforced by Beijing鈥檚 rising threats against the Hong Kong protesters.

The 鈥淐hina dream鈥� is based on the work of Mr. Xi鈥檚 ideology mastermind, Wang Huning. The former scholar sits on the party鈥檚 powerful politburo. His writings argue that Chinese people are prone to accept authoritarian rule out of Confucian-style reverence. They are 鈥渄escendants of the dragon鈥� and not yet advanced in their thinking to really know their interests. They need the paternalistic rule of an unchallenged Communist Party, not a system based on the choice of individuals. Mr. Wang says democratic freedoms and basic rights are 鈥渟elf-defeating.鈥�

Cultural typecasting is not unique to China鈥檚 rulers. Many leaders hold to power on claims of ethnic cohesiveness rather than a civic nation.

In their thinking and actions, Hong Kong鈥檚 protesters have already overthrown Mr. Xi鈥檚 ethnic branding. Their conscience is already free. Their identity is chosen, not given, and rooted in universal values, not an imposed dream of ancestral traits. Whatever crackdown may still be imposed, this self-determined identity cannot be crushed. This may be giving Mr. Xi pause.