Joshua Wong arrives at a Hong Kong court on December 2, 2020. Photo: VCG

Chinese embassies in several countries and the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) strongly condemned a joint statement by 10 countries including the US, UK and Canada concerning the case of Joshua Wong Chi-fung, slamming them for interfering in Hong Kong's matters, which are purely China's internal affairs. 

Experts on Hong Kong affairs said the so-called joint statement would not reverse the trend of Hong Kong's transition from chaos to stability, adding that governance challenges facing Western countries could make China's development model more appealing to developing nations. 

Society governed by the rule of law

The foreign ministries of Canada, the US, the UK, Australia and other countries issued a so-called joint statement on Friday regarding the sentencing of Wong. 

In response, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Canada said on Sunday that Hong Kong is a society governed by the rule of law, where compliance with the law and accountability for violations are fundamental principles. 

According to the spokesperson, Wong had long been involved in conspiring with and colluding with foreign or external forces to endanger national security. He continued these activities even after the implementation of the National Security Law (NSL) for Hong Kong. Wong's actions seriously undermined China's sovereignty and dignity, threatened the vital interests of the Hong Kong people and jeopardized the city's long-term stability and security. Faced with overwhelming facts and evidence, Wong had no grounds to deny his wrongdoing and chose to plead guilty. 

The Hong Kong court's trial and sentencing decision were lawful and fair, and should not be challenged, the spokesperson said. 

Li Xiaobing, a Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan affairs expert from Nankai University, told the Global Times on Sunday that the joint statement is merely another attempt to pressure China and carries little substantive weight. Despite considerable pressure during the transition between 2019 and 2020 and renewed attention surrounding high-profile cases involving Joshua Wong and Jimmy Lai, such statements cannot reverse the trend of Hong Kong's transition from chaos to stability and are unlikely to have any real impact.

On Saturday, the spokespersons for the Chinese embassies in France and the Netherlands also firmly opposed the joint statement and lodged solemn representations, voicing firm support for the HKSAR's efforts to punish crimes that endanger national security in accordance with the law. 

Concerning massive protests sweeping across France since mid-September, Li said the countries involved are struggling with their own domestic governance problems yet continue to criticize other countries, exposing their double standards and empty rhetoric.

The contrast between the stability in the city of Hong Kong and turmoil in the West highlights what Li describes as the shortcomings of Western governance models. China's approach to governance, social development and technological innovation has helped ensure domestic stability, the expert said, adding that its development path could gain greater appeal and influence among developing countries as the global order undergoes a reshaping.

Infamous secessionist

Wong, an infamous secessionist who used to frequently visit other countries and regions to push for the passage of some Hong Kong-related bills and lobby for American sanctions against China, had already been sentenced in December 2020 on two charges related to the siege of the Hong Kong police headquarters in June 2019. He was also sentenced to four years and eight months in prison on November 19, 2024, for "conspiring to subvert state power." 

He was widely considered a major disruptor of the political system before the National Security Law for Hong Kong and the electoral reform took effect.

He was sentenced to 10 years in prison by the Hong Kong High Court on Thursday after pleading guilty to a charge of "conspiring to collude with foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security." 

The Chinese central government firmly supports the Hong Kong SAR in safeguarding national security and punishing in accordance with the law acts that endanger national security. Relevant parties need to respect China's sovereignty and the rule of law in Hong Kong SAR, stop making irresponsible remarks on the SAR's judicial process, and stop interfering in Hong Kong's judicial affairs and China's internal affairs in any form, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a regular press briefing on Thursday.

Chu Kar-kin, a veteran commentator based in the HKSAR and member of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, told the Global Times those offenses under the National Security Law had grave consequences. Wong would pay the price for his crimes and spend some of the prime years of his life in prison, Chu said.

On Friday, the Court of First Instance in the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) also sentenced former lawmaker Au Kam-san to 12.5 years in prison in the SAR's first national security law case, convicting him of subversion of state power, establishing links with organizations outside the SAR to carry out acts endangering national security, and breaching confidentiality, according to a statement from the Macao SAR government's website.

In another statement released on Friday on its website, the Macao SAR government expressed respect and support for a court ruling in the city's first case under its national security law, reaffirming its commitment to safeguarding national security, judicial independence and the rule of law.

As the first national security ruling since Macao's Law on Safeguarding National Security took effect, the decision marks a milestone in the implementation of "one country, two systems" in Macao. It demonstrates that safeguarding national security and upholding judicial independence are mutually reinforcing under the Constitution and Basic Law of the Macao SAR, providing a foundation for the SAR's rule of law, prosperity and stability, the Macao-based media Jornal San Wa Ou reported.