Western nations urge China to end Hong Kong prosecutions
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Ten countries including the US and UK jointly condemned Hong Kong's 10-year sentence for activist Joshua Wong.
The case tests how far Western pressure can shape Hong Kong's national security courts.
Background
Joshua Wong is a Hong Kong pro-democracy activist, former secretary-general of the group Demosistō and a leader of the 2014 Umbrella Movement. Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule in 1997 under a "one country, two systems" formula and saw pro-democracy protests between 2014 and 2019, some of which turned violent; China responded in 2020 with a national security law (NSL) that widened investigatory and extradition powers and stiffened punishments for activity seen as subversive or terroristic. Wong had been serving a 56-month sentence for subversion and was due for release in January 2027 before the new term was added.
How it unfolded
- 2020China imposes the National Security Law on Hong Kong after sometimes violent demonstrations.
- Sep 8, 2026Joshua Wong, 29, pleads guilty in his second national security case, accused of urging foreign powers to impose sanctions and other hostile measures against China.
- Nov 5, 2026A Hong Kong High Court sentences Wong to a further 10 years in prison for conspiracy to collude with foreign forces to endanger national security.
- Nov 5, 2026The European External Action Service says the EU deplores the "politically motivated sentencing" and the "exceptionally long" 10-year term.
- Nov 6, 2026Foreign ministries of 10 countries — Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the UK and the US — issue a joint statement condemning the sentence and calling for an immediate end to "all unjust prosecutions" under the NSL.
- Nov 6, 2026Macao democrat Au Kam San, 69, is jailed for 12.5 years on subversion charges in Macao's first known national security trial, local broadcaster TDM reports.
- Nov 7, 2026NHK reports the 10-nation condemnation and China's response.
Key terms
- national security law
- A national law imposed by Beijing on Hong Kong in 2020 to safeguard national security in the region.
- one country, two systems
- A constitutional principle of China for governing the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau.
- Sino-British Joint Declaration
- A 1984 treaty between China and the UK setting conditions for Hong Kong's transfer to Chinese control and its later governance.
Source: Wikipedia
Who’s saying what
- Party
- The 10 countries call for an immediate end to "all unjust prosecutions" under the NSL, say the law is used to target people for political expression, and urge China and Hong Kong to uphold the Sino-British Joint Declaration.
- Official
- Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun warns foreign critics to stop interfering in Hong Kong's judicial affairs and China's internal affairs, and the Hong Kong government urges foreign forces to stop "baseless malicious attacks."
- Support
- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio "strongly condemns" the sentence and calls for Wong's immediate release, while congressman John Moolenaar calls Wong "a hero who dared to stand up to an authoritarian superpower."
- Caution
- Amnesty International calls the Hong Kong government's pursuit of Wong "cruel" and deliberate political retaliation, and Human Rights Watch says Au Kam San's proceedings were marred by due-process violations.