Agnes Chow and Nathan Law accept the 2018 Lantos Human Rights Prize on behalf of Joshua Wong.
Thomas Lantos founded the Congressional Human Rights Caucus in 1983 as a manifestation of his own character – being a beacon of hope, justice, and human decency in the shroud of darkness. Since 2009, the Lantos Human Rights Prize has been awarded to tireless fighters around the world trying to uphold human rights as a priority, including the Dalai Lama and Professor Elie Wiesel.
It is an incredible honour to be placed next to these iconic figures who have fought all their lives for justice, and have sacrificed so much for their causes. I have fought for a relatively shorter period of time, having lived on this earth for only 22 years, and I have looked up to many of them for inspiration since I started my path in social activism seven years ago. Unfortunately, I will not be able to come to Washington in person to receive the award, since my passport is still held by the Court while I am on bail pending an appeal for yet another case of political prosecution initiated by the government in connection to the Umbrella Movement in 2014. In the time being, I’ve lost my freedom of travel overseas.
I take this opportunity to urge the international community not to forget about Hong Kong, despite its size. In the past two years alone, democratically-elected legislators, including Nathan, have been removed from office. Others, including Agnes Chow from our youth political group, have been barred from appearing on the ballot because of their political positions which Beijing deems unacceptable. Political prosecutions against protesters have become the new norm, with Edward Leung serving a six-year prison term at this very moment.
Historically, Hong Kong has been an important place bridging China and the world. Our freedoms, stability, and the rule of law have been indispensable for our success. But now, Hong Kong is standing on the front line against Chinese imperialism in the 21st century. From undermining liberal institutions such as press freedom to meddling in free elections, there’s no doubt that Beijing is actively developing its sharp power.
China’s goal is to create a new international order governed not by shared values of human rights, but by its force of power. We see this in Xinjiang. We see this in Tibet [Autonomous Region of China]. We see this in Macau. We see this in Taiwan [Province of China]. We see this in the South China Sea. Even the United States is constantly under threat, which makes it all the more important to study Beijing’s actions in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong may be a small place, but it’s unique because of its people. The iconic images of skyscrapers in this bustling metropolis are world famous, but it’s the Hong Kongers fighting on the streets who truly make it great. The only path forward is self-determination, which is a fundamental human right to which all peoples in the world are entitled – it is only fair that the people have a say in their own collective future, which is what democracy is all about.
I hope that Capitol Hill would reconsider its stance on its export control policy for dual-use technology, and on Hong Kong as a separate customs area from China as suggested by the USCC report, bearing in mind the evident Chinese agenda which has already been shown in its Belt and Road Initiative. I also take this opportunity to implore you to co-sponsor the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act Bill in the coming congressional year in solidarity with those who have been prisoned due to selective, political prosecutions initiated by the Hong Kong government, such as myself and my colleagues in Demosisto.
Thank you once again for your support of the Hong Kong people.