Joshua Wong, 30, a prominent figure in Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement, has been dealt another devastating blow, receiving an additional 10-year prison sentence for colluding with foreign forces just over two months before his expected release. If he serves the full sentence without parole, he is expected to regain his freedom in 2037, when he will be 41.

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Joshua Wong, a leading figure in Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement, is seen leading an anti-China protest before his imprisonment. He was recently dealt another devastating blow after receiving an additional 10-year prison sentence. /United Daily News, Taiwan

According to Beijing-based sources familiar with developments in the Chinese-speaking world on Thursday, Hong Kong's High Court reportedly sentenced Wong to 10 years in prison at a hearing earlier that day. The sentence came as a devastating shock to Wong, who had been awaiting his release.

According to the sources, Wong was prosecuted for conspiring with fellow pro-democracy activist Nathan Law and others between July and November 2020 to request sanctions against Hong Kong and China from governments and organizations in the United States and other Western countries. Wong had previously received a four-year-and-eight-month prison sentence, which was subsequently reduced in part. As a result, he had been scheduled for release in January 2027. There had also been reports that he would be deported to the United Kingdom following his release.

Wong appeared in court wearing a blue shirt and his customary black glasses, maintaining a calm expression throughout the proceedings. After the sentence was handed down, he waved to supporters in the courtroom to express his gratitude. His composure was remarkable for someone who had only recently turned 30.

Wong is widely known as one of the leading activists behind Hong Kong's 2014 pro-democracy protests, commonly referred to as the "Umbrella Movement." He was charged again in June last year with colluding with foreign forces and pleaded guilty in September.

Commenting on the case, a Hong Kong resident in Beijing identified only by the surname Lo said, "Although Wong led Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement, he was widely regarded as a moderate. He did not advocate violence. Yet neither the Chinese central government nor the Hong Kong authorities showed him leniency. In particular, Beijing viewed the pro-democracy movement he led as an outright rebellion and identified him as one of the key leaders of the 2019 protests."

Lo suggested that, given the authorities' position, the Hong Kong court's decision to impose another lengthy prison sentence was, in some respects, inevitable.

With Wong now facing another lengthy prison term, it may be reasonable to conclude that Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement has effectively come to a permanent end. Hong Kong's integration into mainland China's political system also appears likely to accelerate.

                                                                                                            Hong Soon-do