The Presidential Office put out a statement on Friday, September 4, calling on the CCP to stop persecution of pro-democracy protestors under the guise of Hong Kong’s national security law. This comes after reporting earlier this week that Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong (黃之鋒) pled guilty to national security charges, possibly facing a sentence of life imprisonment.

Wong, a well-known activist and former Secretary-General of the Demosistō party, was accused of conspiracy to collude with foreign countries in ways which endanger national security, according to Hong Kong’s national security law. The law was imposed in 2020 by Beijing, and has been used to charge multiple members of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protests. Wong was charged while already in prison last year, with violating the national security law between July and November 2020. Earlier this week, he pled guilty, leading supporters to fear he may incur the maximum sentence of life imprisonment. 

Responding to the announcement, Presidential Office Spokesperson Karen Kuo (郭雅慧) stated that the CCP and the Hong Kong government have established a history of using authoritarian tools, such as the national security law, to relentlessly persecute Wong and other pro-democracy activists. She said this highlights the erosion of Hong Kong democracy, the rule of law, judicial independence, and severely infringes upon individuals' human rights and freedoms.

The CCP’s political repression sets a negative example for the entire global community, Kuo said. The Presidential Office calls on the CCP to immediately cease persecution, using national security as a pretext to suppress dissent, and release improperly detained pro-democracy activists.

Cabinet spokesperson Michelle Lee (李慧芝) echoed Kuo’s statements, also calling on the Chinese and Hong Kong governments to guarantee the basic human rights and freedom of speech for the Hong Kong people.