For the second time in a week, Beijing has demonstrated its growing attempts to defang Hong Kong’s democracy movement despite promises of independence made in the Basic Law which went into effect in 1997 Irritated over last year’s pro-democracy Occupy Movement, which tied up the city center for more than two months, it has used its clout through its ally, Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying, to deny the appointment of a political liberal to the post of pro-vice chancellor in charge of academic staffing and resources at Hong Kong University.