July is a terrifying month for the Chinese Communist Party. Anniversaries in Hong Kong and Tibet highlight the weakness of authoritarian Chinese communism. Recent statements coming from Beijing on the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday are defensive to the point of sounding ridiculous: According to the Chinese government, “The Dalai Lama must reincarnate in China, according to the laws of the People’s Republic.” Apparently, there’s a section in the Chinese constitution governing the afterlife. This month also marks the fifth anniversary of the annexation of once democratic Hong Kong. It’s worth reviewing why Beijing annexes buffer states like Tibet and Hong Kong. Authoritarians can’t afford to share borders with free and democratic neighbors. Rather, the undemocratic People’s Republic needs to keep bad ideas and influences out, while at the same time keeping its people in. Normal...