Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong pleaded guilty on Wednesday to a charge of colluding with foreign entities. Wong is currently serving a nearly five-year prison sentence for subversion and could face a sentence of up to life in prison following this guilty plea.
Wong was accused of conspiring with fellow activist Nathan Law and others to solicit foreign countries, institutions, organizations, or individuals to impose sanctions or engage in other hostile actions against Hong Kong or China between July and November 2020.
During the court proceedings, Wong confirmed his guilty plea as the charges were read out. He smiled and nodded in response to encouragement from the public gallery. Several Western diplomats were present at the hearing.
Wong gained prominence in Hong Kong as a teenager in 2012 when he led protests against the introduction of national education in schools. He became well-known as a student leader during the 2014 Occupy Movement, which involved demonstrators occupying streets for 79 days to demand direct elections for Hong Kong's leader.
His attempts to seek international support for protests have drawn criticism from Beijing, which has labeled him an advocate of Hong Kong independence. The political party he co-founded, Demosisto, was disbanded following the enactment of the national security law on June 30, 2020.
Wong was among numerous activists arrested in 2021 for participating in an unofficial poll aimed at selecting candidates for a 2020 legislative council election. His protest activities have been largely suppressed under the national security law.