World News
Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong pleads guilty to foreign collusion charges
The prominent pro-democracy figure faces up to life in prison in his second national security case.
The short version
- Joshua Wong pleaded guilty to conspiracy to collude with foreign forces under Hong Kong's Beijing-imposed national security law.
- The charges stem from allegations that Wong and others sought foreign sanctions against Hong Kong or China in late 2020.
- Wong, who is already serving a prison sentence of four years and eight months for subversion, now faces a sentence ranging from three years to life imprisonment.
- The court is scheduled to sentence Wong at a later date.
Key facts
- Joshua Wong pleaded guilty on September 2, 2026, to conspiracy to collude with foreign forces to endanger national security.[Deutsche Welle · Associated Press]
- Prosecutors accused Wong of conspiring between July and November 2020 with activist Nathan Law and others to urge foreign entities to enact sanctions, blockades, or hostile actions against Hong Kong or China.[Deutsche Welle · Associated Press]
- Wong was already serving a sentence of four years and eight months for a separate subversion conviction related to an unofficial primary election.[Deutsche Welle · Associated Press]
- The collusion offense carries a standard sentence of three to 10 years, which can increase up to life imprisonment if the court considers the violation to be of a grave nature.[Associated Press]
What remains uncertain
- The length of Wong's sentence remains undetermined pending a formal sentencing hearing, as well as whether his guilty plea will grant him a reduced term.[Associated Press]