Does China still need Hong Kong?

It's also a city in turmoil. Regular, almost daily protests have been taking place for 19 weeks now, and a solution is still nowhere in sight due to the increasingly hardline stances adopted by both the government and protestors.  

Growing numbers of demonstrators appear to believe it's only a matter of time until they are quashed by a vengeful Beijing. Yet they seem dedicated to make such a step as painful...