China’s foreign ministry arm in Hong Kong on Wednesday voiced its disapproval of the United States’ “blatant support” of jailed activist Joshua Wong Chi-fung, while accusing Washington of smearing police’s enforcement actions.
Last Friday, Hong Kong national security police levelled a fresh charge against Joshua Wong Chi-fung, accusing him of conspiring with fugitive ex-lawmaker Nathan Law Kwun-chung to collude with foreign forces five years ago.
A US Department of State spokesman strongly condemned the move, arguing that Wong was already serving an “unjust sentence” and it could see him facing life in prison.
He argued that the fresh charge showed Beijing never planned to realise promises of a “high degree of autonomy” and civil liberties for Hongkongers.
“This tragic assault on Hong Kong’s future – including the future of Joshua Wong and other activists languishing in custody or exiled for defending their fundamental freedoms – only proves Beijing never meant to keep its promises to maintain Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy and civil liberties,” the spokesman said.
The Commissioner’s Office of China’s Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong on Wednesday condemned the US for interfering in Hong Kong affairs with its “blatant support” of Wong.