Prominent Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong and two of his longtime colleagues were handed prison sentences on Dec. 2 for their roles in a mass protest that occurred in front of the city’s police headquarters in 2019. Wong, 24, was sentenced to 13 1/2 months after a court session at the West Kowloon Magistrates Court. […]

Ottawa denounced Beijing for forcing the removal of four pro-democracy lawmakers from Hong Kong’s legislature, saying China’s decision is a “further assault on Hong Kong’s high degree of freedoms under the Sino-British Joint Declaration.” “This action clearly demonstrates a concerning disregard for Hong Kong’s Basic Law and the high degree of autonomy promised for Hong […]

All 19 pro-democracy lawmakers in the opposition camp of Hong Kong’s legislature said they will resign en masse after the local government disqualified four of them, following a resolution adopted by Beijing. “The ruling coming from the [China’s] central government simply reflects that they [Beijing] totally gave up on ‘one country, two systems’ in Hong […]

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called out the Hong Kong government on Sept. 8 over its recent actions that curtailed the city’s basic freedoms. “Democracy, respect for fundamental freedoms, and government accountability to the people are the best paths to stability in Hong Kong—not draconian efforts to limit free expression, delay elections, and restrict travel,” […]

The communist regime’s tightening grip on Hong Kong entered into a new phase after police arrested media mogul Jimmy Lai and raided the newsroom of his media outlet, stoking fears that Beijing is intent on extinguishing press freedoms. Lai, a strident critic of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), was arrested on Aug. 10, along with […]

The European Union (EU) has called on the Hong Kong government to reconsider its decision to postpone the city’s election for its Legislative Council (LegCo). “It is essential that the Legislative Council elections take place in an environment which is conducive to the exercise of democratic rights and freedoms as enshrined in the Hong Kong’s […]

Hong Kong’s Chief Executive, Carrie Lam, postponed the 2020 Hong Kong Legislative Council election for a year in an unprecedented move, executing the decision through Hong Kong Emergency Law. Lam said she invoked the Emergency Regulations Ordinance to hold off the vote, adding the move is backed by Beijing. China’s rubber-stamp legislate will decide how […]

On July 1, the 23rd anniversary of the transfer of Hong Kong’s sovereignty from British to Chinese rule, Beijing’s national security law formally came into effect. The law punishes crimes of secession, subversion, terrorism, and collusion with foreign forces with up to life in prison. Furthermore, the new law will allow mainland security agencies to […]

Just what does the newly passed National Security Law mean for freedom in Hong Kong? Will Hongkongers be arrested for talking to journalists and activists in the West? Could Christians, Falun Gong practitioners or other religious believers be persecuted? And, how should the world respond to a potential mass exodus from Hong Kong? In this […]

Beijing’s rubber-stamp legislature, the National People’s Congress (NPC), began reviewing its proposed national security law for Hong Kong on June 28 morning, the first day of its three-day scheduled meeting. China’s state-run media Xinhua, in an article published late afternoon on Sunday, stated that the NPC standing committee, a body of 175 members who oversee […]

Two House representatives, Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) and Ted Yoho (R-Fla.), introduced new legislation aimed to defend Hong Kong’s autonomy on June 1. “I commend our Senate counterparts for moving quickly to address Beijing’s unilateral move to impose a new national security law after years of unsuccessful attempts to use the local Hong Kong legislature to […]

Governments must implement “draconian” travel curbs to prevent the Novel Coronavirus from becoming a global epidemic, a team of infectious disease experts from Hong Kong said on Jan. 27. A team of academics at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) on Monday presented research on the outbreak of the virus that first emerged in the […]

The new head of Hong Kong’s Liaison Office, Beijing’s representative agency in the territory, met with local media for the first time on Jan. 6. Commentators believe his speech suggested that Beijing authorities wish to relieve the current tense relationship with Hongkongers, but that, ultimately, they’re not going to change policies toward the city. Luo […]

Liberal democracies that stand up to China’s communist regime aren’t merely helping Hong Kong, they are actually defending themselves against a growing encroachment by that regime, says Alan Leong, chairman of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy Civic Party. “You have to watch Hong Kong, and by looking at what is happening in Hong Kong on the ground […]

Hong Kong pro-democracy lawmakers slammed city leader Carrie Lam on Dec. 11, after experts announced that they would resign from their posts as international observers assisting in a study of police use of force. The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), a statutory body set up by the Hong Kong government to observe, monitor, and review […]

Around 100 protesters remained trapped inside Hong Kong’s Polytechnic University (PolyU) as of Nov. 19 evening, as Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam criticized them for turning local universities into “weapons factories.” In her weekly press conference on Nov. 19, Lam said that 400 people have left PolyU voluntarily and were subsequently arrested by police surrounding […]

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam has called protesters involved in a citywide strike “rioters” who are “selfish” following international calls for “sincere dialogue” after violence erupted across the city yesterday. In her weekly press conference on Nov. 12, Lam said the citywide strike called by “extreme netizens,” who obstructed roads and brought public transportation to […]

In Hong Kong, a controversial extradition bill that has driven millions of locals to the streets in protest has formally been withdrawn. But for many, the city government’s decision came too late. In the afternoon on Oct. 23, Hong Kong’s Security Secretary John Lee announced the formal withdrawal of the extradition bill during a session […]

HONG KONG—Stress and trauma over the political turmoil surrounding Hong Kong’s extradition bill has created an unprecedented mental health problem that the city is not equipped to deal with, medical professionals say. Discussion of mental health carries a huge stigma in the Chinese-ruled territory, and younger people are particularly vulnerable because of the stresses of […]

HONG KONG—Thousands of mothers marched in Hong Kong on July 5 in support of students who have taken to the streets in recent weeks to protest against an extradition bill that would allow people to be sent to mainland China for trial. Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam has asked to meet students in the […]

Protests against a controversial extradition bill will be the central theme of an annual July 1 march in Hong Kong opposing the Chinese regime. Hong Kong, a former British colony, was handed back to Chinese sovereignty on July 1, 1997, with a promise from Beijing to preserve the city’s autonomy and freedoms under the “one […]

Thirty-two ex-officials and retired lawmakers in Hong Kong have signed an open letter on June 23 calling for the city’s leader Carrie Lam to immediately announce the withdrawal of a controversial extradition bill that drew millions of protesters to the streets in recent weeks. The letter, initially signed by 27 former government officials on June […]

Amnesty International has reviewed and confirmed videographic evidence that police in Hong Kong had employed “unnecessary and excessive use of force” to disperse protesters on June 12 who opposed a controversial extradition bill, according to a report released by the U.S.-based human rights group on June 21. Hong Kong citizens have for the past two […]

HONG KONG– Campaigners in Hong Kong have registered thousands of new voters during mass protests against controversial extradition law reform, pouncing on an opportunity to bolster the democratic opposition’s prospects in upcoming elections. The city’s pro-democracy camp needs a strong showing in city-wide legislative polls next year to recapture a big enough bloc to veto […]

Hong Kong’s chief executive Carrie Lam tried to defend her government in the face of public condemnation over the brutal crackdown of peaceful demonstrators who oppose the proposed amendments to the extradition law. In a recent interview, she compared herself to a loving mother and the one million protesters to “wayward children”—a type of communist […]

A bipartisan group of U.S. Senators have issued a statement supporting Hong Kong protestors. Together, senators released a joint statement voicing their support for the millions of citizens protesting against the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in Hong Kong. The senators who signed it are: Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Tom Cotton (R-Ar.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mitt Romney (R-Ut.), […]

HONG KONG—Tens of thousands of people are expected to take to the streets of Hong Kong on June 9 in a bid to block changes to the Chinese-ruled city’s extradition laws, which could pave the way for fugitives wanted by mainland China to be sent across the border for trial for the first time. Hong […]

HONG KONG—Thousands of Hong Kong secondary school students are expected to boost numbers at a large rally being planned for June 9 to block sweeping legal changes that would allow fugitives captured in the city to be sent mainland China for trial. In a highly rare move, more than 120,000 pupils, alumni, staff and parents […]

HONG KONG—The U.S. State Department said Hong Kong’s leader, Carrie Lam, rejected a request last year to surrender a fugitive into the custody of the United States, at China’s behest. In an annual report on the Asian financial hub published this week, the State Department said last October’s rejection was the first such instance since […]

Donald Trump and Xi Jinping are set to meet in person on April 6–7. Neither will want to walk away from Trump’s Florida country club empty-handed, especially given the domestic challenges both leaders face. The Trump administration has met with stiff resistance from the Democratic Party. The FBI is investigating claims of collusion between the […]