London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, May 31, 2025

Activist Joshua Wong brings Hong Kong fight to U.S. with upcoming congressional testimony

Activist Joshua Wong brings Hong Kong fight to U.S. with upcoming congressional testimony

Wong, who leads a Anti-China organization, said he’ll push for passage of the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, which has bipartisan support.

Activist Joshua Wong said he believes President Donald Trump would sign a bipartisan congressional bill aimed at supporting democracy in Hong Kong, which has been rocked by months of protests.

The bill, the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019, has gained momentum among lawmakers, including former presidential candidate Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., and Rep. Pete Olson, R-Texas, and would direct the president to sanction those who suppress basic freedoms in Hong Kong.

Trump is “strongly aware that if troops or tanks will be sent to Hong Kong … it not only will have a chilling effect on the Hong Kong people, but it will affect the Asian financial market, even the world economy,” Wong, 22, told NBC News in New York on Saturday.

Wong arrived in Manhattan late last week to attend several speaking events before heading to Capitol Hill, where he’s expected to testify on Tuesday before the Congressional-Executive Commission on China.

Asked if he’ll meet with Trump, whom protesters in Hong Kong have called on to “liberate” the former British colony, Wong said only that he’s hoping to visit with senators, congressmen and “government officials from the U.S. administration.”

The White House did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

Trump has called the Hong Kong protests “riots” that China must deal with while also tweeting that the “Hong Kong problem” would have a “happy and enlightened ending” if Chinese President Xi Jinping met directly with the demonstrators.

Tuesday’s congressional hearing is set to examine the future of U.S.-Hong Kong relations as increasingly violent protests in the financial hub over a now-withdrawn extradition bill have evolved into a broader demand for democracy.

Wong, who serves as secretary-general of Demosistō, a pro-democracy organization, said he’ll push for passage of the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, sponsored in the Senate by Florida Republican Marco Rubio, an outspoken China critic who serves as commission co-chair, and in the House by Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J.

So far, 16 senators and 25 House members from both parties have signed on as co-sponsors of the reintroduced act, which would require the federal government to annually assess Hong Kong’s political autonomy to decide whether to give it preferential economic and trade benefits under U.S. law.

The bill would additionally direct the president to impose sanctions like revoking or denying visas or freezing the U.S.-based assets of anyone responsible for abducting Hong Kong booksellers and journalists, as well as those who stifle basic freedoms in the territory.

Wong said he also plans to tell the commission that a human rights clause must be added to trade negotiations between the U.S. and China, which have been locked in a tit-for-tat tariff showdown.

And he said he’ll urge the U.S. to stop exports to Hong Kong of nonlethal crowd control items like rubber bullets and tear gas used by riot police, a call echoed in a House bill introduced last week.

Beijing, which has characterized the protesters as “violent extremists,” ridiculed that legislation.

“I wonder if the U.S. congressmen want to save these anti-riot equipment to deal with problems at home?” China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a regular press conference on Wednesday.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
Chinese Woman Dies After Being Forced to Visit Bank Despite Critical Illness
President Trump Grants Full Pardons to Reality TV Stars Todd and Julie Chrisley
Texas Enacts App Store Accountability Act Mandating Age Verification
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Vatican Calls for Sustainable Tourism in 2025 Message
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Trump Threatens 25% Tariff on iPhones Amid Dispute with Apple CEO
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
Liverpool Car Ramming Incident Leaves Multiple Injured
Australia Faces Immigration Debate Following Labor Party Victory
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Macron Dismisses Viral Video of Wife's Gesture as Playful Banter
Cleveland Clinic Study Questions Effectiveness of Recent Flu Vaccine
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Junior Doctors Threaten Strike Over 4% Pay Offer
Labour MPs Urge Chancellor to Tax Wealthy Over Cutting Welfare
Publication of UK Child Poverty Strategy Delayed Until Autumn
France Detains UK Fishing Vessel Amid Post-Brexit Tensions
Calls Grow to Resume Syrian Asylum Claims in UK
Nigel Farage Pledges to Reinstate Winter Fuel Payments
Boris and Carrie Johnson Welcome Daughter Poppy
×