Erica Kwong

Hacking Hong Kong’s religious liberties

Religious Liberty | Mysterious hackers disrupt a church talk on politics, raising concerns about internet surveillance

by Erica Kwong
Posted 9/18/20, 02:17 pm

On Aug. 30, Hong Kong’s Church of Christ in China (CCC) Tuen Mun Church hosted the third in a series of talks on the history of church-state relations in mainland China over the videoconferencing platform Google Meet. About 50 church members joined the call, which included a lecture by a seminary professor and a Q&A session.

Early in the call, organizers received requests from users named “Chinese National Security Bureau Hong Kong Branch,” “Chinese National Security,” and “Shenzhengovernment.”

For Hong Kong, democracy deferred

Hong Kong | In the latest blow to independence, the government postpones legislative election for a year

by Erica Kwong
Posted 8/17/20, 08:20 pm

Despite the summer heat, pandemic warnings, and government threats, more than 600,000 Hong Kongers headed to polling stations last month for the pro-democracy camp’s primaries. The unofficial poll selected the opposition candidates who would run in the Sept. 6 Legislative Council (LegCo) elections. Organizers cheered the unexpectedly large turnout, calling it a referendum on a new sweeping national security law.

Remembering Tiananmen

China | In Hong Kong and Taiwan, people gathered to remember the 31st anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre

by June Cheng & Erica Kwong
Posted 6/04/20, 02:48 pm

Despite a ban on Hong Kong’s annual vigil commemorating the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, thousands of demonstrators streamed into Hong Kong’s Victoria Park to mark the anniversary Thursday. Separate groups also gathered in neighborhoods around the city, in churches, and outside metro stations.

Rather than extinguish the memory of the Chinese government’s crackdown on peaceful democracy protesters 31 years ago, the ban only seemed to provide more reason to remember.

Government renews crackdowns in Hong Kong

Hong Kong | Mass arrests of prominent pro-democracy figures signal China’s resumed pressure

Erica Kwong | 4/28/20, 11:03 am

With global attention focused on the coronavirus pandemic, Hong Kong authorities arrested 15 veteran pro-democracy figures April 18 for their involvement in last year’s protest movement.

Among those arrested is the founder of the Democratic Party, 81-year-old Martin Lee. Freshly released on bail, the “father of democracy” told media that after seeing so many young people arrested and prosecuted for protests, “I feel proud to finally be able to join the outstanding youth of Hong Kong to continue our path of democracy.”

Threats by text

Persecution | Harassing text messages attempt to deter Hong Kong Christians’ engagement in the pro-democracy movement

Erica Kwong | 1/02/20, 04:35 pm

Last August, the night after 26-year-old seminarian Samuel Chau spoke at a large Christian rally on how believers should respond to Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protests, a stranger sent him a message on WhatsApp. The text was filled with profanities, accusations, and threats.

The sender warned Chau against participating in any more prayer meetings and condemned him to hell. When Chau asked if the stranger had contacted the right person, he responded with Chau’s full name and the name of his seminary. (WORLD has given Chau a pseudonym due to the threats against him.)

Timeline: The Hong Kong protests

Hong Kong | Police violence, protester vandalism, and a new anthem for a free Hong Kong in ongoing pro-democracy demonstrations

Erica Kwong | 9/19/19, 08:28 pm

WORLD first published this timeline on Aug. 30 and has periodically updated it as events develop. For the newest entries, please see the bottom of the page.

Hong Kong resolve

Hong Kong | Pro-democracy protests continue unabated as supporters rally to the cause

Erica Kwong & June Cheng | 8/23/19, 01:31 pm

On Sunday in Hong Kong, an estimated 1.7 million people turned out under a pouring rain in a massive protest for democratic freedoms. It was the first peaceful weekend in 11 weeks of rallies and marches as the Hong Kong people continue to demand democratic representation and oppose a controversial extradition bill.

Things have changed since the protests began in June. Mark Sin, a 29-year-old university administrator, recalls watching protesters flee in different directions as police fired tear gas at demonstrators during a June 12 rally.

United in protest

Hong Kong | Christians in Hong Kong stand in solidarity with pro-democracy demonstrators and condemn violence, even as some activists vandalize government headquarters

Erica Kwong | 7/04/19, 09:06 am

As protesters tried to crash through the glass façade of the Legislative Council Complex in Hong Kong on Monday, an expletive caught the attention of 44-year-old Pastor Siu Yung Wong. The young man who uttered the word—a teenage demonstrator—declared he would kill himself as a form of protest. He then began to walk away, alone.

Alarmed, Wong followed him.

‘Sing hallelujah to the Lord’

Hong Kong | Christians are a highly visible presence in Hong Kong protests

June Cheng, Erica Kwong & Array | 6/17/19, 11:13 am

Tides of protesters dressed in black flooded the streets of Hong Kong for the second consecutive Sunday to protest the controversial extradition bill that could see residents sent to mainland China to stand trial.

According to organizers’ estimates, nearly two million people attended the march, making it the biggest protest in the city’s history with more than a quarter of the population participating. The police estimate a much lower turnout of 338,000.

Beijing’s heavy hand

Hong Kong | The jailing of Hong Kong’s young pro-democracy leaders

June Cheng & Erica Kwong | 9/27/17, 05:18 pm

HONG KONG—On Aug. 17, the Chinese government dropped all pretenses of allowing autonomy in Hong Kong by sentencing its first political prisoners in the former British colony: Joshua Wong, 20, Nathan Law, 24, and Alex Chow, 27, will serve six to eight months in prison for leading the 2014 pro-democracy Umbrella Movement protest.