Hong Kong and Macau are special administrative regions (SAR). For all intents and purposes, they are independent from China except for two key aspects: military and foreign affairs. They have their own courts, their own law, their own police, their own currency, their own visas, etc, etc, etc. It's known as "one country two systems".

The occupy wall street people in Hong Kong are actually camped INSIDE the HSBC HQ building (granted, it's a special open-ground-floor building). But the sense that you get from HK is one of more freedom than the west, not less.