Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong pleads guilty in 2nd national security case

Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to collude with foreign forces to endanger national security. Wong, 29, is accused of asking foreign countries, individuals, or institutions to impose sanctions or blockade, or engage in other hostile activities against Hong Kong and China in 2020.

Wong is already serving a nearly five-year sentence for subversion and was due to be released next year, according to Malay Mail. Rights groups have said the new charges, which could see Wong sent to prison for life, aim to keep him behind bars as long as possible. Wong rose to international prominence as a teenage democracy activist and has been a thorn in Beijing's side for more than a decade.

Wong pleaded guilty before Mr Justice William Tam Yiu-ho at the High Court. A prosecution summary said Wong and others, including fugitive ex-lawmaker Nathan Law, plotted to seek foreign intervention in Hong Kong affairs as early as 2016 in pursuit of the city's self-determination, and that Wong had instigated international sanctions against central and local authorities, such as urging foreign businesses to avoid investment in mainland China.

Brief written by urgent.news from CBC News, Malay Mail, Channel News Asia, South China Morning Post, South China Morning Post - Hong Kong — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.