Podcast: Joshua Wong and Brian Leung on Hong Kong's Pro-democracy Movement

Ever since protests gained traction in late spring, Hong Kong has been a focal point for international attention. The protests, which drew approximately two million participants at one point, have continued amid reports of police brutality and threats of mainland intervention. Although Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam stated that she will withdraw the extradition bill that spurred the protests, the protesters’ demands have grown since their inception and the demonstrations show no sign of ending soon.

Joshua Wong and Brian Leung have been two of the movement’s most vocal leaders. Wong serves as the Secretary General of Demosistō, a Hong Kong pro-democracy political party, and Leung garnered attention for removing his face mask while leading protests inside the Hong Kong Legislative Council in July 2019. In mid-September, Wong and Leung traveled to the United States to meet with U.S. officials to press their case. In this podcast, they sit down with Dr. Elizabeth Economy to discuss the roots of their political activism, their thoughts on the protest’s current status, and their goals for their tour abroad.

Play Button Pause Button
0:00 0:00
x
Episode Guests
  • Elizabeth C. Economy
    Senior Fellow for China Studies

Show Notes

Ever since protests gained traction in late spring, Hong Kong has been a focal point for international attention. The protests, which drew approximately two million participants at one point, have continued amid reports of police brutality and threats of mainland intervention. Although Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam stated that she will withdraw the extradition bill that spurred the protests, the protesters’ demands have grown since their inception and the demonstrations show no sign of ending soon.

Joshua Wong and Brian Leung have been two of the movement’s most vocal leaders. Wong serves as the Secretary General of Demosistō, a Hong Kong pro-democracy political party, and Leung garnered attention for removing his face mask while leading protests inside the Hong Kong Legislative Council in July 2019. In mid-September, Wong and Leung traveled to the United States to meet with U.S. officials to press their case. In this podcast, they sit down with Dr. Elizabeth Economy to discuss the roots of their political activism, their thoughts on the protest’s current status, and their goals for their tour abroad.

Top Stories on CFR

Drug Policy

President Trump has imposed steep tariffs on Canada, China, and Mexico in the name of curbing fentanyl flows into the United States. In reality, supplies of the drug—and related deaths—have sharply declined in the past year, though they are still at worrying levels.

United States

Panelists discuss how U.S. policy toward Russia may shift under a second Trump administration, including the use of sanctions, the continued war in Ukraine, Russia’s military capabilities, the political dynamics inside the Kremlin, and broader U.S. engagement with Moscow. This meeting is part of CFR’s Transition 2025 series, which examines the major foreign policy issues confronting the Trump administration. If you wish to attend virtually, log-in information and instructions on how to participate during the question and answer portion will be provided the evening before the event to those who register. Please note the audio, video, and transcript of this hybrid meeting will be posted on the CFR website.

RealEcon

The United States’ relationship with China is at a new low, but Trump has a chance to redefine bilateral relations by locking China into the U.S.-led global system