House Select Committee on China Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI) sharply criticized the Hong Kong court's decision to sentence pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong to an additional 10 years in prison, describing Wong as a hero who has resisted an authoritarian regime.
Wong, now 30, was handed the extended sentence under the national security law imposed by Beijing, adding to the nearly five years he had already served. The court's ruling came after Wong pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiring with foreign forces to endanger national security—a charge Moolenaar dismissed as baseless.
In a statement released Wednesday, Moolenaar said, "Joshua Wong is a hero who has stood up to an authoritarian superpower. Joshua only pleaded guilty to the baseless charge of foreign collusion because of the [Chinese Communist Party's] systematic erosion of Hong Kong's judicial independence. In return, the CCP has effectively sentenced him under its repressive National Security Law."
The Michigan Republican called the sentencing "a shameless display of the CCP's complete disregard for the universal human rights of life and liberty endowed to all of us by our Creator." He insisted that the international community must rally behind Wong "now more than ever" and called for his immediate release so he can be "reunited with his family."
Moolenaar has previously sponsored Wong for the Defending Freedoms Project at the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, an initiative that highlights individuals "unjustly imprisoned for their identity, beliefs, or peaceful expression."
Wong first gained international attention as a teenager leading student protests during Hong Kong's democracy movement, including the 2014 Umbrella Movement. He was expected to be released in January after serving a four-year, eight-month sentence for a separate national security case, but prosecutors brought new charges in 2025, leading to the latest conviction.
The U.S. Consulate in Hong Kong issued a statement saying Wong has been "unjustly imprisoned" since late 2020 and accused Beijing of going to "extraordinary lengths to silence those who advocate for fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong."
China's foreign ministry spokesperson, Guo Jiakun, defended the court's action, noting that Wong had pleaded guilty and urging "relevant parties" to refrain from commenting on Hong Kong's judicial proceedings and to avoid interference.
Wong's story has drawn global attention, including a 2017 Netflix documentary titled "Joshua: Teenager vs Superpower," which chronicled his founding of the Scholarism movement and his role in the Umbrella Movement. The documentary sparked controversy in Hong Kong after a pro-Beijing newspaper accused it of "beautifying" his actions, yet it topped Netflix's most-watched list in the city.
The sentencing comes amid heightened scrutiny of Hong Kong's legal system, with critics arguing that the national security law has been used to dismantle the city's autonomy. Moolenaar has been a vocal advocate for stronger U.S. measures against Chinese influence, and his latest remarks underscore the growing bipartisan concern in Washington over Beijing's actions in Hong Kong.
