Suppose that at the time when the extradition bill was shelved the intensity of the protests was "optimal," would people be confident enough to believe that Hong Kong's freedoms and economic advantages would be intact if the protesters put a stop to their demands "right there?" Were most Hongkongers feeling confident when they heard that specific piece of news from the Chief Executive of Hong Kong?

It appears that the historical event in 2003 is the sole point of reference from which one might deduce the possibility of "returning to normal" after some large-scale political and social turmoil in Hong Kong. Is there something else that lends support to such a possibility?

On top of that, is it reasonable to assume that today's CCP is still the same CCP in 2003, in terms of its views on China, Hong Kong, 1C2S, civil liberties, the rule of law, as well as of its decision-making processes?