Joshua Wong, a prominent pro-democracy activist in Hong Kong, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to a national security charge. The charge alleges he conspired to seek foreign sanctions against Hong Kong and China, an offence that carries a maximum life sentence.
Prosecutors accused Wong, 29, of collaborating with exiled activist Nathan Law to urge foreign powers to impose sanctions, blockades, or other hostile measures against China. The court heard that Wong had visited foreign countries and met politicians to lobby for these sanctions, and continued to call for them after the national security law was implemented, posting about meetings on social media.
Wong has been continuously imprisoned since November 2020. He was previously sentenced in November 2024 to four years and eight months in prison after pleading guilty in 2022 to conspiracy to commit subversion.
Sentencing for the current charge is expected later. The offence is punishable by a prison term of three to 10 years, or up to life imprisonment if deemed "of a grave nature." Pleading guilty could typically result in a reduced sentence.